Blazing Crystal
by faithy waithy
Summary: "Me, you idiot! I love you!" When I was younger, I imagined my mystery love would be a strong warrior from the tribe. However, it appeared fate had a strange way of smacking me in the face. For some strange and unforeseeable reason, I had fallen in love with Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. **Romance. Crystal (OC) X Zuko. Sister fic. Follows ATLA Books 1-3.**
1. Frozen in Ice

**~~AUTHORS NOTE~~**

 ****Alright readers! I'm trying out a new Avatar: The Last Airbender fanfiction. I've never ever tried to do a ZukoXOC romance, so I want to give one a shot. This is once again a sister fiction, but my character Crystal is strictly the sister of Sokka and Katara. No mysterious past, and no spirit stuff (You should definitely read my three part series"Burning Flame" if you don't know what I'm talking about :D). I've written out a few chapters of this story already, and so far I'm enjoying it. The romance won't really build until a few chapters into the story. I'm trying my best to mix in some humor, drama, and attitude.** **I admit this story is strictly for fun (especially since I've been bored out of my mind), so I hope you all enjoy. I'm going to try my best to keep the chapters shorter than my other stories. I was informed its better to have shorter chapters than ten thousand word ones. Also, the first two chapters will follow close to the script but chapter 3 will then take its own course, so just bare with me. I will hope to have new chapters weekly, but I'm in college so I'll have to write when I have free time. So please be patient with me. =)**

 **Okay! That's the end of my rant! Enjoy the story everyone, and let me know what you all think. Reviews encourage me to keep writing.**

 **-Faithy Waithy**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

They say water and fire don't work together. Water is fire's enemy and fire is waters downfall. My sister and brother have claimed fire is the most evil thing in the world. When I was younger I believed them. The ones who firebend had done nothing to this village but hurt us. My mom was dead, my dad was at war, and I had a scar that forever marked me as their victim.

Looking at my reflection in the small mirror of our tiny igloo home, I pressed my hand on my neck where a scar stretched from my collar bone up to my right cheekbone. The burn had happened years ago when I was nine. Now I was fifteen, but the image of that terrifying man with a flame in his hand constantly came back to me.

 _"Mommy! No! Mommy!"_

 _"Step aside!"_

 _"No!"_

 _"Then I'll kill you girl!"_

Gasping, I jumped back from the mirror as the memory of a piercing fire struck through my mind. Instinctively I touched the scar on my face and winced as the painful memory struck my mind.

"Crystal! Katara and I are going to get some fish. Want to come?" Sokka suddenly asked, and I turned to see him standing at the doorway of our small igloo. He was watching me for a moment; I saw him notice my hand on my scar. My brother was tall and lean. He had brown hair he kept tied back in a ponytail and soft blue eyes. He was my age, seeing as we were twins. Fraternal of course, since I was prettier, thin with my teenage curves, and my brown hair flowed freely below my shoulder blade. We both had the same colored skin though, and we were alike in some ways.

"You mean you're going to _try_ and get some fish," I said, smirking when my brother glared at me.

He then frowned again when he saw my hand hadn't moved from my scar. "You okay?"

Taking my hand away from my face, I nodded, grimacing at his perception. "Yeah… Just have a lot on my mind."

He nodded, then walked into the small igloo with me and I felt his hand touch my face and trace the burn. Closing my eyes, I felt tears fill them as the memory tried to come back to me. I held them in though. I didn't like crying, especially in front of my family.

"You're having the nightmares again… You're seeing mom's death, aren't you?"

Grabbing Sokka's hand, I pulled it from my face but held it enjoying my brother's warmth and kindness. "I'm fine Sokka… You don't have to worry about me so much. You're only an hour older any way."

He rolled his eyes pulling his hand away. "That still makes me your older brother, and as your older brother I'm supposed to worry."

"Worry more about your other little sister. She's the one that gets into trouble every five minutes."

Sokka sighed. "Yeah… Guess that's what we get for having a waterbender in the family." He extended his hand toward my forehead then, flicking me at the center. I winced and rubbed the spot pouting at him. "You better start cheering up, or I'll tie you upside down to a pole."

"That sounds brutal... I'll meet you down by the boats. I'm going to make sure Gran Gran doesn't need anything before we go."

He nodded. "Don't be too long. I'll go find Katara before she freezes the whole camp."

As Sokka turned and walked off to go find our little sister, I watched him go and smiled weakly. If only he knew he had more than one sister who could waterbend.

Katara had found out she was a bender at a very young age. When she was four she had a small temper tantrum that resulted in freezing dad's feet to the ground. My sister was the talk of the tribe for years, being the last waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe. The Fire Nation had either killed or captured the others. The day the Fire Nation came for Katara after hearing rumors about her, was the day my mother died sacrificing herself.

It was after my mother's death and being burned that I developed my waterbending abilities. It happened on a cold dark night, after I'd had a nightmare and couldn't sleep. I was still only nine, and I couldn't get the memories out of my head.

That night I walked out of the village, my face still bandaged from the injury I'd received a week before. In the light of the moon, I found myself stopping and standing on the middle of a snowy hill. Then I cried out to the ocean and the moon spirits in fury. "You should've helped her! She respected you two so much and you let her die!" It was with rage that I fell on my knees and slammed my fists into the snow. That was when I caused an icy path to shoot from where I stood across the South Pole almost ten yards away. The snow that was once just snow was ice that shined from the light of the moon, and it was all because of me.

Either the spirits had granted me the ability to bend, or I'd had it in me all along and it finally came out.

Over the next few years I'd practiced in secret. If the village found out I could waterbend and I hadn't told anyone, they'd have all hated me. It was better this way that I was the only one to know. That way Katara would get the title 'Last Waterbender of the South Pole'.

Walking out into the freezing cold air, I found my Gran Gran seated with a group of her elderly friends sowing clothing. Walking over to her, she looked up and smiled kindly to me with her loving faded blue eyes. "There you are granddaughter. I was just telling Fera how beautiful your singing voice is."

"Stop bragging Kanna. We've all heard Crystal's singing and I do agree it's the best in the village. You can stop throwing it in all our faces," a woman in her early thirties said, a young child on her lap. Fera had been a friend of my mom's before the last raid. After my mother's death, she helped my Gran Gran raise us while father ran off to play Chief.

"I'm not that good," I blushed, wondering when these people had heard me sing anyway. Then I recalled I'd been singing the other night while I was cooking dinner. How many people had heard me? "Um… I just came over to tell you I was going with Sokka and Katara to fish. Do you need anything before I go?"

Gran Gran shook her head. "No dear. Go have fun with your siblings so I can brag about you more."

Blushing more, I nodded and ran off through the village. It was mid-afternoon by the looks of it, so by the time we ate it would probably be sunset. That's if we caught any fish.

Running past the snowy fort my brother had made, I found myself out of the village and facing a watery stream. Katara and Sokka were at a canoe already, arguing about something as I walked up. My sister was my size, and her brown hair went farther than my own. She kept hers in a braid though. Looking over at me as I approached, I saw her watery blue eyes shining from the sun.

"Crystal! Glad you're here. Can you please help me out here! Tell him that there's probably more fish downstream than up."

Sokka rolled his eyes. "My instincts tell me we should go upstream."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Your instincts almost got us killed last week Sokka. I say we go down stream, but you're the boss."

Sokka glowered at me, and then threw his spear in the boat. Katara giggled from my comment, knowing I was just joking about the boss thing. "Fine," Sokka muttered. "We'll go down. Get in before I change my mind."

Katara and I hopped in the small wooden canoe, and I saw my sister shoot me a grateful glance glad I'd chosen her side. As Sokka pushed us off the snowy shore, I watched him jump in the canoe and grab a paddle. Grabbing the other one we began to paddle our way down stream while Katara kept an eye out for fish. It was thirty minutes after reaching the deeper water that Katara shouted, "Found one!"

Sokka and I put our paddles down and carefully looked over the side. There were about five or six below us, and though they were small they would do. Sokka handed me my own spear, and we both pointed our weapons down toward the water. From the corner of my eyes I watched as Katara tried to use waterbending to get one.

Looking back at the fish, I went to stab one with my spear. The fish easily dodged and I growled in annoyance. "Nice try Crystal, but watch and learn. This is how you catch a fish." Rolling my eyes, I took my spear back and watched my twin brother concentrate and point his spear down at the water. As he did this I noticed Katara was using waterbending to catch her own fish.

As Katara formed a tight water ball around one of the fish and managed to lift it from the stream, I smiled approvingly at her. She had really improved since the last time I saw her bend. "Sokka look!"

My brother ignored her as he continued to look at the fish. "Shh Katara… You're gonna scare it away. Mmm… I can already smell it cooking."

"But look Sokka. I caught one!" My sister exclaimed, and I smirked at how happy she seemed moving the ball of water back and forth in the air. Sokka suddenly thrust his spear upward popping the water ball and causing the fish to fall. As this occurred I leaned forward and caught the fish before it fell in the water. It wriggled in my hand but I was too hungry to care.

As Katara began to whine to Sokka, I placed the slimy cold fish in a satchel Sokka had brought to put the fish in. "Ugh! Why is it that every time you play with your magic water I get soaked?" Sokka seemed annoyed, and I looked over to see he was wet on his head and shirt. He'd be really cold by the time we headed back.

"It's not magic," Katara snapped. "It's waterbending, and it's-"

"Yeah, yeah, an ancient art unique to our culture, blah blah blah. Look, I'm just saying that if I had weird powers, I'd keep my weirdness to myself."

"It's not weird, Sokka," I defended, crossing my arms. "It's a beautiful skill that-"

Sokka interrupted, "What would you know about it?"

Immediately I shut my mouth. If I told him I knew about it because I could do it myself he'd be furious I never told him. "Nothing," I lied. "I'm just saying that Katara's ability is a beautiful thing, and one day in the future you'll be really glad she has it."

"I just said it was weird. You don't see me or you bending water around."

"You're calling me weird? I'm not the one who makes muscles at myself every time I see my reflection in the water," Katara snapped.

Sokka scowled, "That was one time!"

The boat suddenly lurched up and I fell back in the canoe from the impact. It was then I saw the stream was taking us downhill and it was heading us straight toward an iceberg. "Oh crap!" I shouted, managing to sit back up. Sokka was quickly at the back of the canoe using a lever to change direction.

"Watch out! Go left! Go left!" Katara cried, and I shrieked as our canoe barely missed the berg. Cold wind hit my face as we traveled downstream and I prayed to the ocean spirit we would be safe. As we dodged more icebergs and cold water splashed on us, we eventually crashed into an iceberg that had connected with three other ones. Just as our canoe hit the bergs we jumped out and fell on the icy platform.

As Katara and Sokka began to argue again while we all stood, I looked at the stream that completely surrounded us. How were we getting home from here? I guess if it came down to it I'd _have_ to show Sokka I was a waterbender.

"You call that left?" Katara snapped.

Sokka scowled. "You don't like my steering. Well, maybe you should have waterbended us out of the ice!"

"So it's my fault?"

Oh boy… Another brother sister fight. At once I tried to intervene but they both shot me looks that clearly said stay out of this.

"I knew I should have left you home. Leave it to a girl to screw things up," Sokka muttered.

"Hey!" I cried. "What's that comment supposed to mean? You invited us!"

Katara was furious and yelled, "You're the most sexist, immature, nut brained… Ugh, I'm embarrassed to be related to you! Ever since Mom died Crystal and I have been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier!" As Katara shouted this Sokka and I watched with horror that as she threw her hands out in rage the iceberg behind her was beginning to crack in half.

"Uh… Katara…" Sokka began, while I tried to step over.

"I even wash all the clothes! Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell you, NOT PLEASANT!" Katara was still screaming and the iceberg was splitting even more into two.

"Alright, let's all just calm down. We're just tired and cranky from being up all day. Why don't we-"

The iceberg suddenly split and opened right in the middle cutting me off. A huge gust of wind flew at us as this occurred and I was thrown back on my butt. The impact hurt, and I winced from the pain. As the ice below us stopped shaking, I looked up to see Katara and Sokka were standing once more. Sokka quickly helped me up, then muttered to Katara, "Okay, you've gone from weird to freakish, Katara."

Katara gawked. "You mean I did that?"

"Yup… Congratulations."

We all stared up at the cracked iceberg then, and as we did I noticed something. There seemed to be a glowing blue form inside the iceberg, and by the silhouette of the form I could tell it was a person with some giant beast behind him. They were frozen solid.

"There's something in the iceberg," I said.

"Or someone," Katara corrected, then grabbed Sokka's club from his back.

Sokka shouted after her, but Katara ignored him and ran to the edge of the iceberg. She stared inside it for a moment, and I started to walk forward to help her. Sokka grabbed me by the forearm. "No Crystal. Stay back before you get hurt." Then he made his way instead to the edge of the iceberg.

Crossing my arms annoyed, I gave a pout. You get burned one time and that labels you as someone prone to danger for the rest of your life. With a sigh I walked up to where Katara was continuously whacking the iceberg with Sokka's club.

"He's alive! We have to help him!" Katara was frantic as she chipped ice away little by little. Looking into the berg, I did notice blue eyes were glowing back at us.

"We don't know what that thing is!" Sokka cried.

"I say we get away. It could be dangerous," I said.

Katara ignored the both of us. She eventually managed to crack the ice and another gust of air blew at us. We covered our faces and screamed from the strong cold burst. As we did I saw nothing but blue light from the cracks of my fingers, and I saw this light stretched toward the sky. Then when it stopped, we looked up in shock to see a boy walking out of the iceberg, markings on his hands and head glowing.

Sokka got in front Katara and I to block us from the bald kid who looked no older than twelve. "Stop!" Sokka ordered as the glowing boy approached us. Then his blue light faded and he slumped over unconscious. Katara noticed and caught the kid just as his head was about to connect with the ice.

What the spirits just happened?

Sokka had at some point grabbed the water tribe club back and poked the kid with the end of it. "Stop it!" Katara ordered, shoving the weapon off the kid.

As the kid began to come to, I heard him whisper, "I need to ask you something."

Katara looked at him with both bewilderment and curiosity. "What?" she asked.

His eyes opened wide then, and I noticed they were of gray tint. The kid was wearing a yellow shirt with an orange like shawl on top and brown trouser pants. Definitely a foreigner seeing as we all had hair and were wearing blue coats and blue trousers. The water tribe greatly valued the color blue because it looked like water.

"Please come closer," the boy begged.

Katara bent her head down so she was closer.

"Will you go penguin sledding with me!"

My hand connected to my forehead and I shook my head in utter disbelief. Who was this kid? He just came out of an iceberg and now he wanted to go penguin sledding. Crazy kid! Really crazy kid!

Somehow we managed to get back to the Southern Water Tribe, and it was only because we'd gotten a lift on Appa, Aang's "flying" bison. Aang was the kid we'd found in the iceberg, and it turns out he was an airbender who had somehow gotten stuck. He had no memory of how it happened; only making me and Sokka even more suspicious. On the way back to the village Aang fell asleep, and I saw Katara smile as the kid snored softly.

"He seems like a good guy," Katara said.

Sokka was too busy controlling the giant reins of the big fury skybison named Appa that we were on. Looking at Katara I asked, "But you don't find all of this odd? He was trapped in an iceberg for who knows how long and he comes out perfectly fine? He should be dead, not wanting to go penguin sledding!"

"Crystal's right, Katara. This guy shouldn't be trusted. For all we know he might be with the Fire Nation!"

At the mention of Fire Nation I felt my tan skin turn pale. Goosebumps went up and down my spine as a memory of a hot flame came back to me. Last thing I wanted was to get involved with more Fire Nation. They were all savages who cared for no one but themselves. Touching my scar, I closed my eyes as the memories tried to come again. It would've been easier to forget if I'd never been cursed with this mark.

When we got back to the water tribe Sokka gave Aang a piggy back ride back to the village while Katara carried his staff. We had no fish when we reached our small igloo home, and I knew this would greatly upset Gran Gran. As Sokka went to put Aang on my sleeping bag, and Katara went to go tell Gran Gran everything that had occurred, I grabbed a small bag and walked back out of the village toward the sea.

It was getting dark now, but I knew I had to help out my family as much as I could. We hadn't had meat in two days and I knew we were all getting hungry. Approaching the dark waters I used bending to create an icy platform that I managed to stand on. Then I made another one and hopped onto it. By the time I made my tenth icy platform I saw I was a good fifty yards from the icy shore. All around me was nothing but dark water. Staring at the waters below, I tried to see past the sunset colors so I could see movement beneath. When I did I thrust my hand forward catching the fish in a water bubble.

When I finally finished I'd managed to catch five fish, which was enough to last us for a few days. Hopping from ice platform to platform I finally managed to get back on the snow covered land of the South Pole. With the bag on my shoulder heavy and full, I made my way back toward the tribe.

Gran Gran was surprised when she saw all the fish I'd managed to catch and Sokka and Katara were bewildered. "How'd you catch so many?" Sokka asked.

Shrugging, I sat the wet bag down beside the fire. "Lucky I guess." Katara eyed me suspiciously, but I was already sitting by the small fire we created. "Who's hungry?"

That night after we ate and saved some meat for Aang in the morning, I plopped down beside Katara after we'd removed our shoes and coats. My sleeping bag was taken by Aang so I had to share with my sister. We'd done it before when we were little so it was no big deal.

As we both got settled, I turned over so I wouldn't have to see Katara's piercing gaze. She was really suspicious, and I knew I couldn't keep up this secret much longer. Soon Gran Gran, Sokka, and Aang's snores filled the igloo, and I tried to close my eyes so I could follow their lead.

"How'd you do it?" Katara suddenly asked.

My body went stiff, and I was sure Katara noticed sense she was right beside me. "Like I said," I whispered. "Just really lucky."

"You're a waterbender, aren't you?" she asked.

My eyes shot wide open. "What gave you that idea?"

Katara sighed, "Never mind. Don't tell me."

Immediately guilt filled inside me, and I shut my eyes trying to push it back. _Tell her!_ My mind was practically screaming at me, but I was scared. She'd hate me if she found out I could bend and never told her. Sighing, I kept my mouth shut and let sleep take me over. Katara could be mad at me all she wanted. This was a secret I wanted to keep to myself.

The next morning I woke up to find everyone was still asleep. Managing to get out of the sleeping bag without waking up Katara, and slipping on my boots and coat silently, I walked outside into the breaking dawn and stared at the yellow sky with a smile. It was a new day, and I was certain a particular airbending boy would make it interesting.

Leaving the quiet village once more, I walked a good mile from it and then started to bend the snow around me. Lifting the water into the air, I gracefully moved my hands so that the water flowed the way I wanted it to. I practiced for an hour, and after the sun was starting to show in the sky, I decided it would be good to head back to the village.

When I got back the whole village (which only consisted of twenty women and children) was crowded around our small igloo home. Their main focus was a certain airbender who looked a bit surprised to see everyone. As I got closer I saw Katara and Sokka standing near him, and Katara was making introductions.

"Aang, this is the entire village. Entire village, meet Aang."

Aang bowed to the village, and I noticed they all backed away in fear. We'd never met an airbender before, so we weren't sure if Aang was going to hurt us or not. "Uh, why are they all looking at me like that? Did Appa sneeze on me?" The boy looked down to make sure his clothes were okay.

"Well no one has seen an airbender in a hundred years. We thought they were extinct until my granddaughters and grandson found you," Gran Gran said, staring at the boy suspiciously.

"Extinct?" Aang asked, not sure what to make of what she said.

Stepping through the crowd, I heard Katara say, "Aang, this is my grandmother."

"Call me Gran Gran."

Aang nodded and bowed politely to her. As he did I saw Sokka walk over and grab Aang's staff. "What is this, a weapon? You can't stab anything with this."

As Aang explained the glider to the tribe, I saw Katara look over at me with that same suspicious look from before. Walking over to her as Aang began to fly in the sky and the children laughed, I saw her turn her head from me. "I'm not talking to you," she said.

"Katara," I began.

She snapped her head up. "No! Don't Katara me! When you tell me the truth, then we'll talk!"

She then turned her attention back to Aang and I backed off. There was nothing else I could do at the moment to make her understand. She'd forgive me eventually. _Why not just tell her? She's one herself so she'll understand._ My heart yearned to tell someone, but I wasn't ready. Last thing I wanted was for it to get around the village. Katara was the last waterbender of the South Pole, and I wasn't ready to take that title away from her.

As Katara went to help Aang who had flew into Sokka's fort, I turned deciding to just get a start on my chores. Last thing I needed now was Gran Gran fussing at me for slacking.

Later that day I noticed Katara had started to talk to me again. She couldn't stay mad at me, and deeply I was relieved. Last thing I wanted was my little sister hating me. "I'm taking Aang penguin sledding. You want to come?"

Nodding, I said, "Sure. I could use some fun."

It was with that saying that I found myself on top of a giant penguin with Aang and Katara beside me. We were sliding fast down the steep snowy mountain two miles from our tribe, and I screamed from the thrill and rush. My hair flew behind me and the cold wind made my exposed skin numb. Looking beside me I saw Aang and Katara laughing. This was the most fun I'd seen Katara have in a long time.

Eventually we got to leveled ground, and we all were laughing at this point. The penguins bucked us off as we continued to laugh, and I watched with amusement as the large beasts waddled away.

Katara stood, brushing off snow. "How was that for penguin sledding?"

Aang jumped up. "Awesome! We should go again!"

I stood brushing off the wet snow from my own clothes. "Maybe later... We have to head back to the village."

Katara looked at the sun and pouted. "Man... Why does time always go by so fast?"

"Hey, what is that?" Aang suddenly asked, and I looked at the kid to see him pointing at something.

Shooting my eyes to the captured giant metal ship of the fire nation, I felt my blood run cold. Aang started to walk toward it and Katara followed. "A Fire Navy ship, and a very bad memory for my people."

At Katara's words I felt fear fill inside me. I'd tried for years to ignore the memories that always tried to resurface.

 _"Step aside girl!"_

 _"Crystal... Do as he says."_

 _"No!"_

 _"Then suffer!"_

Gasping, I found I was shaking as I clutched my head and tried to hold myself up.

"Hey... You okay?" Aang asked, noticing I suddenly went still.

Katara walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. She knew why I went stiff and didn't need to ask.

"Ye-yeah," I shakily answered Aang, my voice cracking. "I just... I need to get out of here." Katara nodded with understanding while Aang stared at me with concern and confusion.

Without hesitation, I turned and ran from the steel ship as fast as I could go; turned and tried to run from my memories. The farther I got from the ship, the farther my memories left me.


	2. Meeting Fire

"You what?!" Sokka shouted, grabbing my shoulders with utter worry. After the Fire Naval ship I'd managed to run back to the village. When I got there I was out of breath and still shaking from the sight of the massive vessel. Sokka was the first to spot me and he looked very concerned. When I told him what happened he was astounded and disappointed. "That ship is dangerous! What were you guys thinking?"

Wincing, I said, "It wasn't our fault. We were just penguin sledding and somehow ended up at the spot. Katara knows better Sokka. I'm sure she didn't go on the ship. I- I'm sure she left just like me."

My brother sighed. "Sorry… I guess this whole airbender thing has me on edge. If the Fire Nation finds out we have Aang here they'll destroy this village."

"They won't find out," I promised. "The Fire Nation has no reason to come-"

A sudden light shot up toward the sky and Sokka and I turned in surprise. The direction I'd just run from now had a ball of fire flying up toward the sky, and I felt dread fill inside me. "No Katara… You didn't…"

Sokka suddenly snapped, "She did! And I bet it was that airbender's doing! I knew we shouldn't have trusted him!"

"Sokka… Calm down," I said. "It was probably an accident."

Sokka turned and looked at me annoyed. "Do you know what this means? If any naval ship is near here they'll be at our door in a second!"

My eyes widened at his words and I covered my scar with shaky hands. Sokka noticed how much his words affected me. "Crys… I'm not going to let them hurt you again," Sokka suddenly whispered, grabbing my hand from my face and pulling me into a hug, I hugged him back but my heart pounded heavily.

Sokka then turned away from me. "I'm going to round up the villagers. We're sending that boy away immediately."

His words surprised me. "What? You can't just send him away!"

Sokka was already running away from me, back toward the other villagers who were gathering to see the flare in the sky.

About twenty minutes later we watched Aang and Katara approach the village. We were all gathered at the entrance and Sokka was in front ready to lay down the law. Katara looked at me with question and I dropped my gaze unable to believe I was letting Sokka go through with this.

"I knew it! You signaled the fire navy with that flare!" Sokka accused, pointing at Aang with fury.

Katara stepped in front of the boy looking annoyed. "Aang didn't do anything! It was an accident!"

"Yeh, we were on the ship and there was this booby trap and well...we "boobied" right into it," Aang said, rubbing his bald head sheepishly.

Gran Gran looked disappointed. "Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger!"

Aang immediately defended my sister. "Don't blame Katara. I brought her there. It's my fault."

"A ha! The traitor confesses!"

"Sokka! Stop!" I ordered, deciding this was getting way out of hand. Grabbing my brother by the shoulder, I said, "Aang's just a kid. He and Katara were just having some fun. I'm sure they had no idea they'd send off that flare."

My brother shrugged me off. "Stay out of this Crystal!" Then he turned back to Aang. "The foreigner is banned from our village!"

Katara gasped while I shook my head in disbelief. This was wrong. Aang was just a kid. "Please stop Sokka. You can't make him go out in the world on his own. He has nowhere to go."

"That's his problem, not mine!" Sokka snapped.

"Sokka! You're making a mistake!" Katara cried, tears falling from her eyes.

Sokka spat, "No! I'm keeping my promise to Dad. I'm protecting you and Crystal from threats like him!"

As Sokka continued to shout at Katara and Aang, I looked out toward the sea. It was then I noticed in the far off distance, a dark shape on the horizon. What in the world…

"Then I'm banished too!" My sister suddenly cried, and I looked back with wide eyes. My sister stomped over to Aang grabbing his arm. "C'mon Aang, let's go!" She started to pull him toward the giant beast known as Appa.

"Katara!" I cried. She looked at me, then quickly looked away.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sokka snapped, stepping forward as if to grab her if she really did get on Appa.

Katara held her head high as she said, "To find a waterbender! Aang's taking me to the North Pole!"

"I am? Great!" Aang exclaimed.

Walking forward, I decided it was time to be a sister. "Katara… Would you really leave us- your family- to go with him? You can't abandon us like this. You know mom would want us to stick together."

My sister held her head down in shame, and I saw Aang look troubled at this whole ordeal. He pulled from her hand saying, "Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family."

Katara watched with regret as Aang walked over to Appa. In the end Aang left, Appa walking away from the village who watched the giant beast go with regret. After that Katara was distant from Sokka and I. She was angry that Sokka sent Aang away and mad at me for not being more supportive.

While she moped I walked to the edge of the village to try and clear my head. It was when I did this that I saw it in the distance. The once small shape on the horizon was getting closer, and I could make out it was a ship. A very big ship. Turning, I ran back to warn the villagers, memories of the past flooding back to me.

When I got to the village, I shouted, "The Fire Nations coming!" Everyone looked terrified by my words, and I saw my brother immediately prepare for battle. Katara got out of her depressed state enough so we could gather all the children and get the women and elderly in their homes. After making sure everyone was safe, Sokka and I headed toward the fort Sokka made, and we climbed to the top so we could get a better view.

There was nothing but fog, but I had a feeling beyond it was a ship that was most likely approaching our tribe. My whole body trembled at the thought of seeing those fire nation savages again. Last time I saw one was when the killed my mom and burned me. "What do we do?" I fearfully asked my brother.

Sokka had his war paint on, and he pulled his club out ready to fight. " _We_ aren't doing anything. You're going back to Gran Gran while I fight."

Scowling, I spat, "That's suicide Sokka. You'll be killed on the spot!"

Sokka looked at me and said, "No I won't. It doesn't matter anyway. I'm not letting you fight." When he said this, I saw him look at my scar. Immediately I looked away not wanting memories to come back. "Just stay out of danger this time. I don't want to see you hurt again." Sokka practically begged, and I felt his brotherly hand trace across my scar.

Nodding, I smiled weakly at him. "Okay… Just for you." Then I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a tight hug. "Be careful."

He sighed. "I will."

Turning, I slid back down the fort and returned back beside Katara. She smiled weakly at me when she saw how scared I looked. "It will be okay sis. No one will be hurt."

"I hope you're right," I whispered.

The ship hit land about twenty minutes after we prepared for battle. Everyone screamed as the ground shook below us and our snow fort began to crumble. Katara and I watched Sokka with deep worry as he continued to stand on the crumbling fort. Then a massive shadow came out of the fog, and I looked at the fifty foot ship with utter terror. We were dead.

"Sokka! Get out of the way!" Katara cried, seeing the ship was going to hit our brother. Sokka held his ground, and the ship hit the fort completely toppling the wall over and sending Sokka sliding down with a scream. Katara and I ran over as he fell on his back, and then we saw with terror the enormous vessel open its front which slowly lowered to be a ramp.

As the ramp stopped right in front of Sokka, Katara and I both backed away with terror. Six figures began to come down the ramp, and I could see the one in the front was wearing fine armor that showed he was higher up than the other five men. As I stared at the fire navy soldiers, I was surprised at how furious I was. Instead of being fearful and terrified for my life, I tightened my fist as my insides boiled in rage. Here came six fire nation soldiers, and they were probably here to kill more of our people. This time I wouldn't let them.

 _But if you waterbend you'll reveal yourself to Katara._

It was something I was willing to do. Katara could be mad at me all she wants, but there was no way I was allowing these monsters to hurt my family again. There was no way I could protect my mom, but I would protect my brother and little sister. Whoever these men were, and why they were here, I'd stop them from hurting anyone.

As the six men walked down the ramp with the leader in the front, I watched with disbelief as Sokka grabbed his club and ran up the ramp toward the leader. The man easily kicked my brother off the side of the ramp sending him down into the snow pile below. "Sokka!" I cried, and then turned to glare at the man with hatred. It was as I did this I noticed it wasn't a man at all.

From behind the red fire nation helmet, I was bewildered to see a guy no older than sixteen, his gold eyes staring at our tribe with pure determination. Though I couldn't see what his body was like under all that armor, I could tell he was a good seven inches taller than me. When he got even closer I saw on his left eye a very nasty scar. It looked like he'd gotten his from a burn as well.

Katara and I backed away from him, standing protectively in front of our people. My mind tried to bring back the memories of the monster that hurt me but I quickly pushed them back. This was a new monster, and I couldn't show I was afraid.

The teenage guy stopped in front of us, his soldiers spreading out in a line so none of us would try to escape or try anything else. As the guy scanned the crowd, I noticed his gold orbs meet mine for a split second then shoot to my scar. Glaring at him, I tightened my fist and he scowled at me looking away. Katara grabbed my arm, her hand shaking, and I placed my hand over hers letting her know it would be alright.

"Where are you hiding him?" the teenager finally spoke, stepping forward so he was right in front of me, Katara, and Gran Gran.. None of us answered, but that was mainly because we had no clue what he was talking about. Who was this _him_ he spoke of? The only men at our tribe right now were Sokka and the kids.

He growled when no one answered, then reached forward as if to grab Katara. Instead he grabbed Gran Gran and yanked her forward. Katara and I cried out, but soldiers immediately stepped in our paths as if to warn us to stay back. The guy shoved my grandma in front of him, then yelled, "He'd be about this age! Master of all four elements!" No one answered again, and he furiously shoved Gran Gran forward. She stumbled and Katara and I quickly caught her.

 _Master of all four elements… He couldn't mean the avatar right? Why would the avatar be here? The Avatar hadn't been seen for over a hundred years!_

The teenager was enraged that no one had answered, and I watched with horror as fire shot out from his fist above our heads. We all screamed, and I shut my eyes trying to block out the picture of the hot flame.

A loud warrior cry rang out then, and we all looked up to see Sokka run at the guy with his club in hand. The guy looked annoyed and turned dodging my brother and flipping him over his back. Sokka flew on his butt, and shrieked when the guy threw fire at him. Grabbing the boomerang from his back, Sokka threw it hard but the guy easily dodged it. The guy turned back to Sokka with rage.

"Show no fear!" A young boy named Hura cried, and he threw a spear toward Sokka. My brother caught it easily and jumped up from the snow. Then he shouted again and charged at the guy, but the enemy ended up breaking Sokka's spear and hitting him in the head with it. Sokka dazedly fell back in the snow, and I saw the teenage dude smirk at my brother. Then something shined in the sun and flew at the teenagers head. His helmet got knocked around and he stumbled forward from the shock. Sokka's boomerang landed at the teen's feet.

Rushing forward, I quickly helped Sokka up as the teenager glared furiously at him. Then he lit fire daggers in both his hands as if he were about to attack both Sokka and I. Something shot in front of us though, and the teenager fell flat on his face as a penguin slid around the village. On that penguin was Aang, and the children all cheered with delight.

Stopping in front of me, Sokka, and Katara, he grinned at us. Then the penguin bucked him off its back and waddled away. Aang collected himself looking at the three of us. "Hey Katara. Hey Sokka. Hey Crystal."

Smiling at him, I was relieved to see him. He'd just saved our hides. Sokka was even grateful. "Hi Aang… Thanks for coming."

There was a growl then, and we saw the teenager had collected himself and got into a fighting stance. His helmet was off now, and I couldn't help but stare at his face. He was pretty cute in a way, but I would never dream of ever falling for a monster. Aang jumped up with his staff in hand, and then got into his own fighting stance. "Looking for me?" Aang snapped.

"You're the airbender… you're the Avatar?" he asked in bewilderment, and my eyes widened in shock. Aang!

"No way," my brother muttered beside me.

The teenager looked annoyed. "I've spent years preparing for this encounter. Training, meditating… You're just a child!"

Aang looked confused. "Well you're just a teenager."

The teenager really didn't like this, and he lit fire in his hands. No! He'd hurt Aang! Aang didn't seem concerned when the guy shot fire, using his staff to airbend the fire from him. The fire however blew toward us, and we screamed as heat licked at our skin. Aang heard this and quickly surrendered. "If I go with you, do you promise to leave these people alone?"

The guy nodded, and immediately soldiers grabbed onto Aang's arms.

No! They couldn't take him! He was the world's last hope!

"No, Aang!" I cried, and ran forward. "Let him go!"

"Crystal!" Katara and Sokka cried in terror, but I ignored them.

Quickly I threw my hand upward at the guy who had turned toward me in surprise. Water flew up at him and knocked him roughly on his back. Then I picked up more water and froze the shocked guy to the snowy ground. The soldiers had all turned to see my attack, and I saw Aang stare at me bewildered. Looking back at Katara, I saw her eyes widen with amazement. Sokka looked shocked and hurt I hadn't told them. I frowned and said softly, "Sorry…"

Turning back to the soldiers and the teenager, I saw he was no longer shocked but determined. Melting the ice around him, he stood and sneered. "So… The water tribe has been keeping secrets, huh? I thought we'd captured every last waterbender here!"

"Looks like you guys missed one," I hissed.

The teenager growled and jumped forward to grab me. With fluid movements I dodged and grabbed more snow. Shooting it at him, I watched it hit his body and cause him to fly back once more. As this occurred soldiers shot at me and restrained my arms. Screaming, I tried to pull from their holds.

"Let her go!" Sokka cried, running forward. A soldier who wasn't holding me down, shot fire at Sokka who had no choice but to back away.

"Hey! You said you'd leave these people alone!" Aang cried, trying to pull from the soldier that was holding his shoulder.

The teenager was standing back up and stalked toward me. "I'll leave _them_ alone, but this girl is coming with us." Glaring at him, I tried to pull from the soldiers holds and kicked at the sneering teenager. He dodged continuing to speak. "Just think how much honor I'll receive when I bring home the Avatar and the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe."

"No!" My sister and brother both cried, but Zuko was already heading back up the ramp and the soldiers were shoving Aang and I along with him. "Crystal! Aang!"

Aang looked back. "Don't worry Katara. I'll take care of her! You just take care of Appa for me!"

The ramp began to shut then, and the teenager shouted orders about preparing the ship for departure. As soldiers scrambled to go relay his orders, I stared at the ship with dread. The hall we were in was cold and made entirely of steel. Candlesticks were the only lighting as the sun left us.

"Take the Avatar up on deck. I'll be there in a moment," the teenager ordered, and the two soldiers restraining Aang began to force him down the hall. Aang looked back worriedly, shouting, "You better not hurt her!"

The teen ignored him and looked at the two soldiers behind me. "Leave us. I want to speak to the girl alone. Don't tell my uncle about this." The soldiers bowed, and then excused themselves heading in the direction of the other soldiers.

My eyes were wide with terror as I stared at this teenager who could probably chop me down in no time flat. Backing away, I found myself hitting the ramp wall of the ship that was now closed tight. There was no escape. "Please… Just let me and Aang go," I said, my voice shaking from the fear coursing through my veins. "Aang's just a kid and I-"

A fist punched right beside my head and I cried out in terror, cringing away. "Not so tough now, are you?" he hissed, his body too close to me for comfort. It was dark but I could make out his eyes. They were narrowed and irritated. "You're pretty good for a waterbender who's had no training. I have to say I'm impressed. You definitely bruised me up with that last hit."

Glaring with utter hatred, I hissed, "Good! I taught myself so that one day when I met a firebender like you I wouldn't be so weak!"

He was taken aback by my words, and I saw his eyes shoot to my scar once more. They immediately filled with understanding and sympathy. He quickly covered it though, snapping, "Well your bending just got you in a lot of trouble. Now you're my prisoner and I'm taking you _and_ the Avatar to my father so he'll give me my honor back!"

My eyes widened at his words. "Your father?"

He smirked. "Oh, I haven't introduced myself have I?" He held his head high. "My names Zuko, crown prince of the Fire Nation."

My blood went cold, and my breathing hitched. My body fell back against the wall as I stared at this prince in terror. He was the Fire Lord's son… I was prisoner to the Fire Lord's son! I had the worst luck in the world!

He saw my horror and looked pretty smug. "Definitely struck a fear there, huh?"

In the end Zuko grabbed me and pulled me through the halls. I cringed in fear and also disgust at his touch. "Where are you taking me?" I asked, trying to mask my fear with rage. I grabbed at his hand trying to release his grip. He only tightened his hold on my arm.

We went down a few flights of steps till we reached a hall that had prison cells. Zuko opened one which creaked loudly and shoved me inside. Turning in terror, I saw him close the door and lock it with a key he just so happened to have. "Don't worry. The Avatar will be joining you soon."

He then turned and left, taking the keys with him.

"You can't just leave me down here!" I screamed after him, grabbing the cell door and shaking it hard to try and open it. Zuko ignored me and left, and I watched him go with fear. Falling to my knees, I let gasps escape me. What had I gotten myself into?

The ship suddenly lurched forward and I grabbed onto the cell door to keep from falling. Oh no… We were moving, and that meant we were headed toward the fire nation. Backing against the wall of my cold cell, I pulled my knees to my chest and cried. I'd only been this scared once in my life, and that was when I was burned.

It seemed like an hour passed by when suddenly I heard footsteps run down the corridor. "Crystal!" A familiar voice cried out, and I looked up in shock to see Aang come into view.

"Aang!" I shouted with relief, jumping up and running to the door. Aang tried to pull the door open with his hands, but it wouldn't budge.

"Where's the key?" he asked.

"Zuko has it!" I cried, trying to shove my weight on the door.

Aang nodded. "Okay then, scratch the key. Stand back," he ordered. Immediately I did as he said. "I hope this works."

Jumping up, Aang kicked the door hard and his burst of wind sent it flying off its hinges into the wall beside me. Before I had time to blink, Aang grabbed my hand and began to run us down the hall. As we ran down the massive corridors of the ship, upstairs, and down some more halls I noticed Aang started opening door after door. He'd let go of my hand at this point so I was running to keep up with him. "Aang… What are you doing?" I asked as he opened another door.

"I have to find my staff," he exclaimed, grabbing my hand again and pulling me down another hall. We must've gone through at least thirty halls when finally we saw it. A staff sat inside a room, the door wide open as if someone wanted Aang to see the staff.

"Aang, wait! I think it's a trap!" I cried, trying to grab Aang's arm to stop him.

"No it isn't. Trust me," Aang said, then ran into the room. Following him, I immediately heard the door slam shut behind me. We turned quickly only to see Prince Zuko standing in front of our only way out.

He narrowed his gold eyes at Aang and I. "Looks like I underestimated you two," he hissed, then began to shoot fire at us. Aang and I dodged his blasts as much as we could, and as Aang fought with air I tried to stay out of the way. There was no water in the room so I had no ability to help.

"Crystal! Run!" Aang ordered, shooting another blast of air at the prince. Turning as fast as I could, I pulled the lock of the door up and yanked it open. Then I took off running down the hall of the ship toward what I hoped was the way out.

As I ran down the hall I saw a door open and watched with shock as a man came out. It appeared that this man was the cook or something, and he had a tray of tea in his hands. He was totally shocked by my sudden appearance. With a quick thrust of my hand, I caused the tea in the pot to fly up and hit the cook. He screamed from the hot liquid, and while he was distracted I shoved him against the steel wall of the ship.

"How do I get out of here?" I shouted, frantically trying to escape this hellish vessel.

In the end the cook gave me directions and I ran down the hall, took a right, and found myself running up some steel steps. As I surfaced above deck, I was horrified to see Aang and Zuko were on deck too and they were fighting once more. "Aang!" I cried, then used my bending to bring water up from the sea below. It was a challenge to pull the element up from so far down, but I found the strength. Using the water I'd gathered, I shot it in a straight stream toward Zuko. He turned as he heard the water fly toward him and dodged my blast swiftly. Aang took this chance to throw air at the guy and knock him down on the steel deck; he hit the deck hard.

"We have to get out of here!" I cried, running over to Aang who looked satisfied. Just as I spoke this I heard a groan and looked up at the sky with astonishment. A giant furry flying sky-bison flew above us, and on his saddle were two teenagers I knew very well. "Katara! Sokka!" I cried, relief flooding through me.

A hand grabbed me from behind suddenly and I gasped as I was roughly shoved to the ground. A soldier was immediately on top of me, and I struggled with terror as I watched Aang and Zuko continue to fight. My eyes widened when Aang hopped on the ship railing and Zuko threw fire at him. A blast hit Aang harder than he expected it to, and I watched with horror as my friend fell unconscious in the ocean below. "No!" I cried, thrashing to escape my captors hold. "Aang!"

"Hold still!" the soldier snapped above me and suddenly I was yanked back up on my feet. My eyes darted to the sky where I saw Sokka and Katara looking at where Aang had fallen with terror.

"Let me go!" I shouted, trying to pull from the soldier's hold. He held on tighter and I gasped as his armor dug into my back. His hands had my own behind my back almost pulling them out of their sockets. "Let go!" I shouted, trying to kick back at him.

Another soldier suddenly came in front of me as I was restrained, then my eyes widened in terror when I saw him tighten his hand in a fist. It flew at my stomach causing me to cry out, lose my footing, and slump over in my captors hold. "Nice try waterbender," the same soldier hissed. "But you lose." Then I watched him raise his fist and I closed my eyes knowing what was to come next. As something heavy smashed into the back of my head, I felt a sharp pain shoot through my skull and then my body went numb.

As I began to pass out, I heard Katara's voice scream, "Crystal!" That was the last I heard before darkness took me over.


	3. Stubborn Water

When I came to sometime later, I winced as pain immediately radiated through my head. Groaning, I tried to move my hand to the back of my head, and when I did I jerked it away quickly. A sharp pain shot through me and I cried out in agony. When I opened my eyes finally, I found I was once again in a cold dark cell, only this time my hands and feet were chained to the wall. Thankfully they'd given me a cot to sleep on, but sadly no blanket.

Managing to finally sit up, I winced at how sore my body was. How long had I been out? My stomach cried out for food and my throat ached for water. As I sat in my cold empty cell, I felt myself curl up into a ball and tears fall down my cheeks. It was cold… They'd stripped me of my water tribe coat leaving me in only my water tribe shirt and trousers. My boots were gone showing bare feet, and I curled up tighter trying to warm myself. I knew why they'd taken my shoes and coat. They wanted me to be cold. They didn't want their prisoner to be comfortable.

It seemed like hours that I sat in my cold cell with only a small candle to light the room, and while this occurred I feared for my family and Aang. Were they okay? Did Zuko capture them too? Were we on our way to the fire nation?

It seemed like a day passed by and still no one came to see me. This only made me thirst and hunger more. Maybe the Fire Nation wanted me to starve to death. It would save them the trouble of having to kill me.

More tears came at the thought of death. At least if I died though I'd be with my mom.

After a few more hours of just sitting in the cell staring absently at the ceiling from where I lay on the cot, I heard something. The sound of footsteps…

As heavy boots stomped against the steel of the ship, I heard the door to the brig open and fire light entered the room. Wincing from the sudden burst of light, I sat up and stared through the bars of my steel prison. To my terror, I saw a guard come in with what seemed to be a tray of food. He also held a canteen of water in his hand that was tightly shut.

When he came in he said nothing to me, only opened my cell and sat the tray on the steel floor in front of me. Then he undid the canteen lid and held it toward me. I cringed away from him, afraid he'd do something to hurt me. Though I couldn't see his face through the red helmet he wore, I could see a small frown on his face. Not an angry one, but an almost sorry one. "It's okay," he said, his voice making him out to be maybe thirty. He sounded kind, and I was really thirsty.

With shaky hands I took the canteen from him and sipped it thirstily. There was only a quarter of the small container full but I sipped it to its last drop. When the canteen was empty the guard took it away, pushed my tray closer to my trembling form, and then left.

When he locked my cell door back and went out of the prison hold door closing it behind him, I sighed in relief. So not all the guards were cruel... Looking down at the food on my tray, I frowned at what little was there. It looked like one piece of bread and some scraps of meat. I guess they were giving me leftovers from dinner.

Shoving the tray away, I ignored my pained stomach and lied back on my cot. As I closed my eyes, I whispered softly, "Katara… Sokka… I hope you guys are okay…"

A tear fell down my cheeks as I curled up into a ball for warmth and let sleep take me over once more. When I woke up later it was because my bladder was full. Wincing, I tried once more to sit up. To my relief a guard was just coming in a few minutes later probably to pick up my uneaten tray. When he went to unlock my door, I noticed he was the same guard from before.

"Please… I really need to go," I pleaded, hoping he knew what I meant. He must have because he sighed and left for a moment. Then he came back with a chamber pot in his hand. Putting it beside me, he muttered, "Be quick." He then left my cell once more to give me privacy. When I was done I waited for him to return, and when he did he took my chamber pot leaving me again.

It was easier to relax now, and I leaned against the wall with exhaustion. My throat was dry again and my stomach still cried out for the food it desired. When the same guard came back about thirty minutes later he noticed my uneaten bread and meat. He frowned once more, with that same frown he used before. He tried to shove the tray closer to me, but I scooted as close to the wall as I could and hid my face in my knees as I held them close to me.

"You need to eat," he said firmly, trying to make it sound like an order. My body remained stiff and I refused to look up. "Prince Zuko won't like it if you die of starvation."

My eyes immediately looked at the guard and I glared. "Why would that monster care? He probably wants me dead!"

"No he doesn't," the guard said, then stood and left, locking my cell once more behind him. He left the tray and I shoved it away once more. There was no way I was eating for these monsters. They'd probably kill me eventually anyway.

It got colder eventually, which showed me it was night time. Another guard came in with a candle to replace the one on the wall that was barely still burning. As he put the new candle in and lit a new flame with his hand, I saw his head turn in my direction. He too was dressed in full armor, so I had no clue what his face looked like. He said nothing to me as he took in my weak and shaking form, but I could almost hint something from his mouth. He almost held it in a sympathetic way. Why would a monster feel sympathy toward me?

It was after the fourth day of being imprisoned that something finally happened. The guards had noted that I still hadn't eaten a thing. I'd eagerly accept the water that was given, but I shoved the food away every time it was left for me. They must've voiced their worries to their leader, because sure enough the prison door opened and in stepped Zuko.

When he came in I was lying weakly on my cot, my body shaking from the freezing temperature in the room. My eyes were shut tight so I only heard him enter by his light steps. He'd obviously taken his boots off and was walking barefoot.

When I heard my cell door open, I curled up in a ball trying to just hide from everything. Zuko would be mad at me probably for disobeying his orders and not eating what the soldiers gave me. He'd probably hurt me, and I was scared at the pain that was sure to come.

"What's wrong with the food? Does it not suit your water tribe tastes," he snapped, his voice trying to sound annoyed but coming out as more of curiosity. Tears started to form in my eyes and I curled up tighter just wishing I could fade into the steel of the ship. More than anything I just wanted to disappear. "Sit up girl!" he ordered, and I could just picture his cold eyes glaring daggers at me.

Another shiver ran through my body, and I felt my teeth chatter. Why was it so cold?

A foot nudged me in the side and I winced as it easily met my ribs. Zuko must've felt the bones through my loose t-shirt, because his voice suddenly became more anxious. "Hey! Get up!" Zuko ordered, but his voice wasn't annoyed and angry anymore. It was worried.

Another shiver went through my body and my teeth chattered some more. Suddenly I felt his burning hot hand on my forehead and I whimpered scared he was going to hurt me. "You're burning up…" he whispered, more as if he were talking to himself. Hot tears fell down my cold cheeks and I trembled once more. Zuko left me then, running out of the cell and through the prison door. Once more I was left in silence, and I closed my eyes wishing I could once more just melt into the ships darkest places.

My mind was in and out for a good ten minutes as I lied in the ship's cell alone. It was becoming harder and harder to concentrate, and I felt my empty stomach hurt every time I breathed. My throat was killing me and my eyes burned from the tears that continued to fall. More shivers shot through me and I whimpered wishing there was some warmth I could find somewhere.

"I get it Uncle! You don't have to rub it in my face," Zuko's familiar voice suddenly spat, and I heard him walk into my prison room once more.

"I have to. First you don't inform me you even have a prisoner, and now I find out you've been treating her like an animal. Your mother didn't raise you this way Zuko," a stern male voice spoke, and I heard him follow behind Zuko who was pushing my cell door open and making it creak.

"I know! I feel awful about it already. Can you just help me out and yell at me later," Zuko snapped.

My eyes tried to open, but I couldn't find the strength to do so. Instead I kept them shut and tried to let the numbness I felt in my body take me over. As I tried to sleep, I suddenly felt a rougher but kind hand touch my forehead. "She's freezing Zuko. You didn't even give her a blanket!" There was a moment of silence, and then a hard sigh. "We need to move her to another room and get as much blankets as we can on her. She was probably burning up earlier because her body was trying to warm itself. Now she's growing weak and losing strength. Go call a guard so we can carry her up stairs."

Zuko seemed to not move at first, and I tried to open my eyes once more so I could see his face. They were too tired to open, and I decided to just give up. "Now, Zuko!" his uncle ordered.

"There's no need," Zuko snapped, and a moment later I felt the cuffs around my wrists fall away. Opening my eyes weakly, I caught a fuzzy picture of Zuko's gold eyes staring into mine with deep regret. "I'm sorry," he whispered. His voice faded away though, and as warm arms pulled my shivering body from the cold floor, I let unconsciousness take me again.

When this happened I saw a flash of Sokka and Katara in my mind. Were they safe? I sure hoped so…

When I came to later on I had no clue what was going on, or even where I was. My head was killing me and I felt so weak. My body was warm though, which was surprising seeing as the cell had been so cold. Something cool was placed on my forehead and I sighed as it eased my aching head for a moment. "I think she's starting to come to," an older man's voice spoke, and I slowly began to open my eyes.

It took me a few minutes to actually open my eyes and keep them open, but when I did I saw my blurry vision begin to clear up. When I finally could see, I saw I was in a dimly lit room with a few candles lit in their holders on the wall. My body was lying on something very soft which I could only assume was a cot, and there were about three blankets draped over my still trembling body. When I looked over at the wall once more, I saw a fine tapestry with the symbol of fire.

My eyes widened and I shot up from where I lied with a gasp. Hands pushed me down and my eyes widened when I felt the hot palms on my shoulders. "No! Let go!" I screamed, shutting my eyes in fear as I kicked and thrashed at the person holding me down.

"Will you stop moving! You're only going to make your fever worse!" A familiar voice snapped, and I opened my eyes once more to see Zuko's hard eyes looking down at me. When I looked into his eyes, I could see something there I hadn't seen before. When he first imprisoned me, he was full of nothing but anger, aggravation, and hate. Now he looked concerned, and worried for me. Why would he be worried for me?

Zuko saw I had stopped struggling under his hold, and he sighed letting me go as I continued to stare at his eyes. "You don't have to be so scared. I'm not going to hurt you," he promised, and for some reason I believed him. It was the first time so far I'd seen Zuko actually look like he cared about someone other than himself.

After a moment of silence, I felt my eyes begin to close once more. My body was so tired, my stomach so empty. All I wanted to do was curl up somewhere and hide from the world. "Is she awake?" an older male voice asked, and I curled up more on the bed wishing I wasn't here.

"Yeah… But she's scared," Zuko whispered.

The older man snapped, "Well do you blame her! You locked the poor thing in a cell!"

Just leave me alone… Just leave me alone…

"I've brought some tea dear… You must be dying of thirst," the man kindly said.

Opening my eyes weakly, I stared at the man who stood in the room holding a tea tray. He was a bit fat, and his hair was a dark gray that he kept in a topknot. He also had a beard and his gold eyes were filled with so much wisdom. He smiled kindly at me, then walked over with the teacups and teapot.

Somehow I found the strength to sit up, and once I did I was offered a cup of tea. Taking it warily, I almost sighed at how warm the cup felt in my shaking hands. "Thank you," I whispered, then took a sip. Immediately the warm liquid flowed through me and warmed my freezing body.

"I'm having the cook prepare you a meal right now. We thought you might be hungry," he said. At the thought of food I winced from the pain in my empty stomach. "I'm sorry for the cruel treatment on you these last few days. If I'd known of your presence on this ship I would've surely done something about it days ago." When he said this he shot a disapproving look at Zuko who looked away with a frown as he leaned against the wall in the room.

"Why? I'm nothing special for you to concern yourself over," I muttered.

He answered firmly, "No human, or even young lady, should ever be treated the way you were. We may be Fire Nation, but we are not cruel heartless savages."

Lowering my tea cup from my mouth, I looked down at the dark tinted liquid with pain filled eyes. My mother's scream filled my head making me wince.

"Then you're the only ones I've met who aren't," I muttered. My hand instinctively touched my collar bone where my scar began. He frowned when he saw this action, and I quickly pulled my hand away self-consciously. Zuko had seen the action too, and I saw him touch his own scar from the corner of my eye. I wondered how he got his injury. Then I decided I shouldn't care.

"I suppose you wish to know my name," the older man said, just trying to make conversation. "I am Retired General Iroh of the Fire Nation, brother to Fire Lord Ozai and Zuko's uncle."

I nodded, letting him know I was retaining the information.

Iroh poured me more tea suddenly, and I was surprised to find my cup was empty. I said a soft thanks and sipped my warm tea again. My shivers had ceased which I was relieved.

"May I ask your name? I'd hate to call you Miss through the whole voyage."

I cringed a bit, not sure if I should. Was giving my name to the enemy something I wanted to do? Why did he even care what my name was? I was just a prisoner.

Gripping my cup with both of my hands, I said softly, "I'm just a prisoner. My name doesn't matter."

Iroh looked a bit sympathetic. "You may be Zuko's prisoner, but you are my guest from this day forward. I will see to it you are taken care of during our quest for the avatar." I frowned when he spoke about Aang. I prayed to the spirits that the Fire Nation wouldn't get ahold of the kid.

"He's just a boy," I said softly. "Why can't you people leave him alone?"

Zuko scowled, jerking from the wall. He pointed a finger toward me, snapping, "Of course you wouldn't understand! That _boy_ is my ticket home! I won't rest until I have him in my possession! He will be my prisoner soon, and then I'll take both of you to my father! The Avatar and the last waterbender of the South Pole will surely return my honor!"

By the time he was done his finger was just inches from my face. I'd dropped my cup from shock, and was thankful I'd emptied the warm contents in my stomach already. Trying to scoot back, I found my back hit the wall beside me. The shivers came back as I stared at that finger. He could burn me if he wanted to. He had the perfect shot.

"Prince Zuko! Stop!"

The angered teen yanked his finger back in shock, while I shut my eyes in fear. If he was going to burn me I wished he'd just get it over with. When I felt my flesh wasn't being burned, I opened my blurry eyes to see Zuko had stepped away and crossed his arms. He looked almost ashamed for scaring me so much.

Iroh's pale warm hand took my shaking tan one. His fatherly touch made my shivers ease a bit. "I apologize for Zuko's temper. He can be rash at times. I can assure you that he will not harm you. If he does I'll be the one he answers to." The old man's eyes shot to Zuko, and the young Prince hung his head. He was sorry. It was the first time I'd seen someone of his kind show such an emotion.

Silence fell over us for a moment as my tense body slowly relaxed. My racing heart calmed, as did my breathing. When I found my voice again, I asked softly, "What will happen to me? What will the Fire Lord do to me?"

Iroh frowned. Zuko leaned against the wall again looking troubled by my words. Iroh answered, "We can't tell you. My brother is unpredictable. He does with his prisoners as he pleases."

In other words he'll throw me in a cell, make me a servant, or kill me. I pulled my knees close to my chest for some source of comfort. I missed Sokka and Katara. I missed them so much.

A knock on the door sounded suddenly, and a man in red, gray, and gold armor entered. He had graying hair and side burns. He looked mid-forties, and when I saw his face the first thing I thought of was a baboon. "I apologize for interrupting sir, but the Captain wishes to speak to you," the man said to Iroh.

Iroh sighed. "Thank you for informing me, Lieutenant Jee." He stood with the teapot in his hand. "I'll return later to check on you. Dinner should be ready soon. As for now get some rest Miss."

He probably didn't expect a name, but I said softly, "Crystal."

Iroh had turned to leave but stopped when I spoke. He looked back at me with question. Zuko and the man Jee were listening too.

"My name's Crystal," I said softly.

Iroh nodded with a smile. "Crystal… It suits you well. I'll return soon." He left me then, and Jee followed behind shutting the door. That meant there were two people in the room left. I sat up still, my arms hugging my knees as my eyes watched Zuko closely from where he stood across the room. His gold eyes were staring at me, trying to read me I could only assume. When he saw my eyes meet his, we both looked away from one another.

After a moment, he spoke. "Sorry for my temper earlier." He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "I have a hot head sometimes." Admitting it and apologizing? He took me completely off guard.

Silence fell over us for a moment. An awkward silence…

Finally I asked softly, "Are you going to put me back in that cell?"

Zuko winced a bit still ashamed for what he did to me. He tried to cover up his true feelings with a straight face.

"No," he began. "From now on you'll be in here." I was surprised. I would be staying in this nice room? Zuko walked across the room and grabbed something off the floor. It slid against the steel as he dragged it across the room. Immediately I saw it was a long chain with a cuff on the end. "This door doesn't lock on the outside, so I had this cuff installed while you were unconscious earlier. I will have a guard positioned outside during the day to make sure you don't escape. If you try anything, then I _will_ put you back in the cell."

Standing from the cot as he spoke, I winced as my body ached from both fatigue, fever, and lying on a hard mattress for so many days. Why I stood, I suppose I wanted to become eye level with Zuko. I wanted to face my captor and show him I wasn't afraid of him. I wanted him to know that I would fight, and he wouldn't stop me.

I failed though. As soon as I stood I stumbled forward and collapsed on the steel floor. Zuko must've saw I was going down, because right before I fell flat on my face his warm hands caught me on my forearms. I was on my knees, but Zuko was managing to hold me up. "What are you doing?" He snapped. "You should be lying down!"

When his hands had grabbed my shoulders I instinctively flinched and tried to push him off. He tightened his grip when he noticed, his gold eyes burning into my own with determination. "You can try all you want to escape, but just know there will be consequences if you attempt to do so. You are my prisoner and will be punished how I see fit." He leaned in closer, and I could feel his breath on me. It smelled like mint tea. "If I see any sign of waterbending, I surely will punish you."

I'm not sure where the sudden energy came from. Perhaps it was adrenaline? Perhaps it was the spirits giving me strength? No matter what it was, I felt determination boil through my blood. Though I was starving and weak, I found the strength to shove him off and get to my feet. Stumbling back, I saw Zuko had been shoved back on his butt and stared at me with shock. He hadn't expected the sudden strength.

Without a moment's hesitation, I turned and rushed to the steel door reaching for the latch to open it. I'd just swung the door open causing a loud creak to echo through the ship hall, when suddenly warm arms wrapped around my thin waist yanking me back. I'd just barely made it into the hall. Screaming, I struggled in Zuko's hold as he yanked me back in the room. Thrashing and kicking back at him, I heard him grunt a few times as I knocked my elbow into his face or back kicked his shins.

My struggles made my face grow hot. My fever was spiking up again, but I didn't care. I had to escape. I just had to. Zuko managed to drag me all the way back to the wall where the chain was attached. He turned us and managed to slam me against the wall. I winced and tried to push against the wall. Zuko pressed his body against my back, his arms snaking around me and grabbing my wrists. He pulled my hands behind my back hard, and I scowled trying to swing my head back into his chin. I missed and he shoved me harder into the wall. My face was to the side, so my cheek was flat against the wall.

"Stop!" His order pierced through my ears. "If you don't I'll…" He took a moment, not sure what he'd do. Finally he hissed in my ear. "I'll burn your hands."

Immediately, my struggling stopped as I felt his hands start to heat up. They were still gripping my wrists, and I didn't want fire scorching my skin. When Zuko noticed my struggles had ceased, the heat in his hands cooled. He turned me around and shoved against the wall again. His face was held in a scowl as he gripped my shoulder hard. "Don't you dare try that again!" He grabbed my hair and I gasped as he pulled on it a bit. Sharp pains shot across my scalp. His face was suddenly inches from my own. "I swear if you ever do, I'll add another scar to your pretty face. Got it?!"

I whimpered, my body becoming shaky from the pain. My eyes blurred and I felt sick to my stomach. Zuko let me go, and as soon as he did I collapsed back against the wall. Somehow I slid down and was sitting on my butt. Zuko grabbed the chain beside us and knelt in front of me. Shoving my pant leg up, he clamped the rough hard heavy cuff on my ankle.

Zuko left the room then, slamming the door behind him in frustration. As soon as the door closed, I broke into sobs.

It was a good hour later when Iroh came back to bring me food. He wasn't surprised when he saw me sitting against the wall curled up in a ball with my ankle chained. He was surprised to find I had bloodshot eyes from crying. He immediately knew it was Zuko's doing, and shook his head in disapproval.

Somehow Iroh convinced me to eat. I think it was his comfort that made me take a bite of the steamed fish. Maybe it was because I was starving. Either way the fish felt good in my empty stomach. When I finished eating, Iroh forced me back to the cot and placed a blanket over me. His rough but warm hand pressed to my forehead. "Your fever's come back," he said. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow you can wash off and get some of this grime off of you."

His voice was already fading as exhaustion took me over.

 **Zuko POV**

 _Who the Agni does this girl think she is? Trying to run when I'm right in the room? What was she trying to prove earlier?_

Standing beside the door to my room, I sighed heavily rubbing my face. I had to admit, for a girl she had some strength. I could only assume it was the waterbender in her. But still, I couldn't believe the girl would actually try to run. I give her props for trying, but at the same time it irritated me. If I can't even control a waterbender, how am I going to control the Avatar?

That waterbender… Crystal was it… She may have appeared weak at first, but she was far from it. My arms and legs still ached from where she'd managed to hit me. I scowled at the thought of her struggles. How could one girl who was so sick, fight so hard?

My chest tightened a bit at the last thought. She was sick because of me. I'd locked her in a cold cell with no warmth, no company, and hardly any light. She must've been terrified, freezing, and terribly alone. I clenched my fist. I'd put her through so much pain. What's even worse was I didn't make it any better earlier? I'd threatened her to the point of terror. I knew she'd fear being burned, and I used it against her. I saw the scar on her and took advantage of it.

That scar… She must've gone through a terrible ordeal to receive it. I desperately wanted to know the story behind it, but I had a feeling she'd never tell me. She didn't trust me or like me enough to do so.

Turning, I finally opened the steel door and stepped inside. Shutting the door behind softly, I stepped across the dimly lit room over to my mattress on the floor. The figure lying on it was out cold, her breathing a bit labored. It concerned me. Kneeling down beside the mattress, I pulled the blanket up a bit to cover the trembling body of the waterbender. My hand pressed to her forehead as she slept, and I noticed it was burning up. Her fever had come back, and I was sure it was my fault.

I'd scared her sick.

Pulling my hand away, I stood and walked across the swaying room to a bowl that Uncle had brought in earlier. After she'd had dinner and fallen asleep, Uncle tried to cool her fever with a wet rag. It eased her temperature only slightly. Grabbing the bowl which had a rag still in it, I headed back over to her and got on my knees. Taking the rag out of the cool water, I wrung it out and placed it against her forehead. She didn't respond, and that worried me. It was only when she mumbled in her sleep that I felt at ease. At least she was well enough to speak. It took me a moment to understand what she was saying. I heard bits and pieces.

"Sokka…" she whimpered at one point. Another time she breathed out, "Katara…" Then there was one time when she said a soft, "sorry". Eventually she broke into hard coughs, and I jerked the rag away from her scared she'd wake up. She didn't though, stilling as her coughs ceased. When she coughed the blanket lowered again, revealing her neck completely. My eyes couldn't help but follow the scar that trailed from her collar bone to her right eye.

I was tempted to trail my hand along her skin, just to see if the scar felt like my own. I resisted temptation though. I had no right to touch her after everything I'd done to her.

I was stupid… I should've never threatened to burn her. What kind of monster was I?

It was getting late, and I could tell as I started to grow tired. My hand pressed against the girl's forehead again. Still hot like before. I really hoped she'd sleep the fever off. Was it normal for someone to be sick this long?

Sighing heavily, I stood and put the bowl back in the corner of the room. Walking back to the door, I stopped right before I left and looked back at my captor.

 _"Don't you dare try that again! I swear if you ever do, I'll add another scar to your pretty face!"_

I cringed. This girl would always see me as a monster. I deserved it after what I said to her.

Hanging my head, I left my room to go get some air. I really needed to think.

 **Crystal POV**

When I woke up, I felt awful. My head was splitting, my eyes were burning, and my throat was tight. Upon opening my eyes and focusing through blurry vision, I saw someone was already in the room. When I saw who it was I gasped and jerked up. My movements burned every muscle in my body, but I didn't care. Shoving myself against the wall again, I tried to get as much distance as I could from Zuko.

He sat to one side of the room, his legs crossed and his eyes shut. He seemed to not have heard my gasp as he meditated. A long table was bolted beside the wall, and on the table were candles in holders. The candles were lit and danced with life as the firebender concentrated. When he breathed in the flames would decrease, and then upon breathing out they would increase. I silently watched him and his meditation, mesmerized that he could control the flames with so much control and peace.

My only question was, why was he meditating in the same room I was staying in?

My eyes darted around the room, and I felt like I was seeing it for the first time. There was a wooden chest by the corner of the room, wedged between the wall and the table that Zuko sat beside. It must've held his clothes inside, because on the outside straight and lined up in front of it was his boots. Upon looking at the walls around us, I also noticed something was nailed into the wall beside me that I hadn't noticed before. Craning my head a bit, I managed to take note it was a portrait of a young Fire Nation boy and pretty Fire Nation woman. It must've been Zuko, and I could only assume the woman was his mom. He sat in her lap with a goofy grin. The Zuko in the drawing was far from the Zuko I knew.

"Are you hungry?"

Zuko's voice made my whole body jump. Turning my head back, I saw his eyes had opened and he'd turned my way a bit. He looked at me with question.

Slowly I nodded, my eyes burning a bit with tears. I didn't want him to get mad at me again, so I was scared to answer him at all.

He stood up and I pressed harder to the wall watching him with caution. He walked across the room and picked up a tray by the door. "You slept past breakfast, so the chef prepared you some lunch. Um… I think he called it stewed sea-prunes. Uncle thinks you'll eat better if its food you're familiar with. You still have a fever, but Uncle believes if we bring you outside today for some fresh air hopefully you'll feel better. I'll permit it, but your hands will be cuffed behind you so you can't waterbend."

He was mumbling a bit, so it was hard to make out some of his words. He didn't meet my eyes as he spoke to me, and I swear he almost looked ashamed. He placed the tray down in front of me on the mattress, and then quickly returned to the table to meditate again. I watched him the whole time with question.

"This is your room, isn't it?"

My small voice made Zuko jump a bit. He'd just closed his eyes to meditate, but quickly opened them again when I spoke. He looked at me once more and nodded.

Pulling my knees tighter to my chest, I hugged them for comfort. "If you had no more rooms, you should've just left me in the cell. I don't understand why you're being so kind all of the sudden," I muttered. "I don't understand why any of you people are showing me kindness. We're enemies… You shouldn't care if I live or die."

Zuko was at a loss for words. Eventually he turned his body so he was still sitting cross legged but facing me. He crossed his arms and looked away.

"I'm sorry for scaring you yesterday," he said softly.

It was my turn to be speechless. Prince Zuko was apologizing to me again?

He continued. "I'm not good at controlling my temper sometimes, and I think before I act. It was wrong of me to use your scar to my advantage." His eyes met my own finally. "I know you're scared, and I don't expect you to ever trust me, but you should know that I do care if you live or not. I know I may come off as a jerk at times, but my mother taught me that all life is precious. We may be enemies, but I'm not going to let you die."

His words bewildered me. Running a hand through my grimy hair, I said softly, "You shouldn't feel that way. I'm going to die one way or another. You know your father will kill me as soon as he has me in his possession. That's what the Fire Nation does to my people. That's what they did to my mom. She was thought to be the Last Waterbender of the South Pole, and they killed her viciously for it."

Zuko was amazed that I'd share such a story with him. Then his eyes turned sad. "I won't let my father kill you."

"You can't promise you can protect me," I muttered. "The Fire Lord won't listen to you." Silence fell in the room. Zuko wasn't sure how to respond. While he continued to sit there and think of what to say, I picked up the spoon from the bowl and started to eat my stew. It tasted a little off from how Gran-Gran made it, but it was still delicious.

When I finished eating, Zuko decided it would be a good time for me to wash up some. He thought if I got out of my clothes and cleaned up some my fever would recede. He called for a guard to bring him some cuffs, and a few minutes later a man of maybe mid-thirties entered the room handing the metal object over.

Zuko walked back over to me, and the other man stayed by the door. "Can you stand?"

Not wanting to seem weak and pathetic, I struggled to slide to the edge of the mattress. With all the strength I could find, I shakily got to my feet. As soon as I did I regretted it. My head split once more, my vision blurred, and every part of my body cried in protest.

The guard and Zuko managed to catch both sides of me before I fell. While the guard supported me, Zuko cuffed my hands behind my back. Once my ability to bend was gone, Zuko undid the cuff on my ankle. Both he and the guard supported me out of the room into the dark hall. I cringed and whimpered as my body protested from my movements. Zuko noticed my discomfort, reassuring me by saying, "The washroom's only a few doors down."

We reached a steel door finally where another guard already stood. He opened the steel door for us, and we entered inside. The washroom was a small room, with a good sized steel basin. There was a pump above the basin where water must've come out. It was already filled with water, and there was a clean rag beside it.

"I'm going to undo your cuffs," Zuko said. "You better not waterbend. If you do I'll chain you back in the room and you can forget about fresh air."

Though I was eager to bend the water and strike it in Zuko's eyes, I resisted telling myself that earning his trust and behaving would benefit me in the end. I nodded to let him know I understood. He undid my cuffs, and then gestured to something sitting in the corner of the washroom. "Those are some fresh clothes for you. Uncle picked it out, so I have no clue what it is." He and the man started to leave the room then. "I'll be outside if you need anything. Knock when you're done."

The door shut and I was left alone. Staring down at the water in the basin, I lifted my hand to bend some of the water in the air. My muscles protested though and I quickly lowered my arm with a sharp intake of breath. In defeat I started to clean myself off. Pulling off my shirt first, I almost felt relieved to have the dirty fabric off my skin. I kept my chest binding on though, just in case someone did walk through the door by chance. Next I managed to take my trousers off, but that hurt worse than the shirt.

Eventually I washed up, and I even rinsed out my hair in the water getting the sweat, dirt, and grime out of it. When I was finished, I did find the strength to bend the water off my body and put it back in the basin. Being clean made me feel ten times better. I felt a little more like myself, and not so much like a pile of dirt. Grabbing the fabric from the corner to the room, I was surprised to find it was a fire red Fire Nation dress. It looked like it would fit me fine, and I pulled it on trying to ignore my pain.

The dress fit my fifteen year old curves nice, and the fire red actually didn't look too awful on my skin. It was nice to have some clean clothes on. Walking back over to the door, I knocked softly to let them know I was done.

 **Zuko POV**

I was trying so hard to be nice. It was something so strange to me. Uncle told me earlier that if I treated her with kindness, then her health would improve. Since I felt responsible for her condition, my conscious wouldn't be clear until she got better. When she was still asleep this morning, I had pressed my hand to her forehead again. Her fever was down but still present. I'd never cared squat about anyone other than my Uncle in these last few years, but for some reason I cared about this girl. I'd just met her, yet I wanted to help her. Was it because her scar reminded me of my own? Was it because I wanted to prove to her that I wasn't a monster?

A sigh escaped me and the guard beside me shot me a look of question. I quickly stood straight trying to cover my worry with my stone like expression. After ten minutes, I was about to knock on the door but the girl beat me to it. The guard handed me the cuffs once more and opened the door. Going to step inside, I froze.

The girl standing at the doorway looked different. Her long brown hair was now clean and tidy, flowing in waves down her chest. Her face which once had dirt and grime was clean revealing flushing cheeks. I assumed the cheeks were from her fever. What caught me were her mesmerizing blue eyes. The color of an azure sky, they drew me in almost hypnotically. She looked down suddenly, breaking the connection our eyes held. She crossed her arms self-consciously, and it was this movement that drew me to her outfit. She wore a long sleeved fire red dress with gold trim on the waist and neck line. The dress brushed to her ankles, and complimented her skin well. I couldn't help but notice her curves too. She was beautiful from the fire light in the hall. A feeling came inside me, and I didn't understand what it was.

The guard cleared his throat suddenly, and I jumped coming back to my senses. From the corner of my eye I saw the man smirk at my silence. Quickly, I recovered and stood tall once more. "Um… I need to cuff you again before we go up on deck."

She nodded, her eyes almost pained as she turned around and willingly put her hands behind her back. Why was she suddenly cooperating? Maybe she was just too tired to resist.

Cuffing her wrists, I took her forearm but tried to control my strength. I didn't want to hurt her too much. She cringed a bit at my touch, and on instinct she tried to pull away. I didn't blame her. She probably feared I'd burn her or something.

"You're dismissed," I told the guard as I began to lead the girl down the hall. The guard left to return to his other duties.

Heading to the stairs that led up to deck was a little longer than I thought it would be. The girl wasn't accustomed to walking on a ship, so every time the ship swayed she'd stumble and I had to hold her up. She was trying to balance, and I could tell because she was concentrating hard on the ground so she wouldn't trip.

After the fifth stumble, and me pulling her back to her feet, I heard her mutter, "How do you walk in this hunk of metal?"

"Three years of practice," I said softly. "We're almost there. Just around the corner."

We walked on, but she spoke once more as we did. "Three years… Don't you have anyone you miss back at the palace? Why haven't you gone back?"

I cringed at the tough subject. My hand tightened around her forearm without realizing it, and I saw her flinch realizing I'd been upset by her question. Immediately I eased pressure, and she relaxed a bit. "Sorry," I muttered. "That's a touchy subject."

She nodded, hanging her head a bit. "I understand."

Another moment of silence passed. I spoke once more. We still had a little ways before we reached the stairs. "So those two water tribe kids earlier… were they your friends?"

Small talk… Let's make small talk. That would ease this situation.

She looked a bit pained by the subject. "They're my brother and sister."

"Oh," I said softly. I thought the conversation would end there. She probably didn't want to say too much. However, she continued.

"My brother and I are twins actually."

This part took me completely off guard. From what I recalled of the boy, he looked nothing like her. Maybe their skin color, and their hair color, but that was it. "You two look nothing alike."

She smiled weakly. "My sister jokes and say's that's because Sokka was dropped on his head when we were born. My dad says it's just because I got more of mom than Sokka. That's fine with me… Sokka would be an ugly girl."

She was joking around. I was surprised by what she'd just spoken. After everything I did to her, she was making a joke?

She noticed I didn't react, and I saw her look over at me with question. She quickly looked away when our eyes met. "So… Do you have any siblings?"

She was still trying to small talk. It was strange that I was actually having a normal conversation with my prisoner. I answered, "I'd think your people would know everything about the Fire Lord. Don't they educate you on the enemy?"

The girl frowned. "No. My tribe is small and uneducated. The only thing we know about your father is he's a bad man who wants us all dead. It's sad to say, but if the Fire Nation were to fight us, none of my people would survive. We're not like the Northern Water Tribe with elite forces. My father and the men of the tribe are all we have. They only fight to protect our tribe, not win the war.

Her words made me frown. Thinking back, I didn't see any men at the tribe when I invaded. Just elderly men and little boys…

"Where are the men? I didn't see any in the tribe when I invaded."

She didn't answer. Instead she changed the subject. "You never answered my question. Do you have a brother? A sister?

I sighed. Guess her father was a touchy subject. "I have a sister," I answered. "We don't really get along."

"Sorry to hear… My sister's my best friend. I can't imagine us not getting along." She winced, and I looked at her with question. She noticed and smiled weakly. "She's probably hurt. She had no clue I was a waterbender up until I attacked you. She thought she was the last one of the Southern Water Tribe, so I can't imagine how she's feeling now."

A thought struck me. "So your sister's the one that froze my men?"

She seemed glad to hear this. "I guess so. That's good to know. She's improving."

I rolled my eyes, deciding not to retaliate. So she really wasn't the Last Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. Still, father would be happy anyways to have at least one. Another idea suddenly came to my head. If I managed to capture the avatar and his friend's, I'd have two waterbenders to give to my father. The thought made me somewhat satisfied. Father would surely be pleased with me.

The steps came into view, and I was about to walk her up them out on deck. She'd frozen mid-step, and I looked back at her with question. Her eyes stared at me with horror. Immediately I understood why. She realized her slip up. She knew I would go after her sister.

 **Crystal POV**

What have I done?! Not only had I just told Zuko my life story, but I'd also told him about Katara. From the way he fell silent and smirked a little, I had an unsettling feeling my stomach. He looked like he'd just scored a prize. It was almost like I could read his mind. Two waterbenders and an Avatar… His father would be proud.

"I'm foolish… I can't believe I just said that…"

I hung my head wishing I could hide my face behind my hands. Sadly they were cuffed behind me.

His hand gently pressed on my elbow, and I looked back at him with question. He seemed to read my mind. "It's okay…" He paused for a moment. Then he smiled weakly. "I'm not going after your sister."

His words sounded sincere, and I sighed heavily with relief. It felt as if the weight was ripped right off my shoulder.

Nodding, I resumed following Zuko up the stairs to go on deck. My steps were slower this time. When we got onto deck, the sunlight through the door immediately blinded me. I gasped shutting my eyes tightly. It had been days since I'd seen the sunlight. I stumbled again and Zuko caught me.

"Slow down… Don't go too fast."

I nodded, and then slowly opened my eyes. The sun still blinded me but not as harsh as before. I took a few blinks, clearing up my vision to focus on my surroundings. The wind was pounding against me harshly, and I heard sea-birds cry out above us. Finally, I focused on my surroundings and saw the massive deck before. The crew was busy with their duties, so most of them paid no mind to my presence. A few of the guards glanced my way, but then continued on patrolling the deck.

"Ah! Crystal!" I jumped, startled by Iroh's sudden call. He walked over to me with a kindhearted smile. "You look radiant dear! I'm glad the dress fit so well."

I blushed. "Thank you, General Iroh."

He was startled by my formality. "Just Iroh, dear. That title left me a long time ago."

Zuko suddenly stepped beside me. "I need to speak to the captain about our heading. Watch her Uncle." It was an order, and I watched Zuko walk off amazed. If I spoke to any of my elders that way they'd flick my ear.

The sound of jangling keys filled my ear suddenly, and I shifted my gaze back to Iroh. He held in his hand the very keys Zuko used to unlock my cuff back in his room. "Let's get those cuffs off. They look awfully uncomfortable."

Iroh undid my cuffs then, and I sighed as I relaxed my arms to my side. He then gestured for us to take a walk around deck, to which I eagerly agreed. I wanted to stretch my legs out as much as I could. As we headed along the ship edge, I let my hand trail on the steel rail amazed to actually be on such a massive vessel. For the first time since my imprisonment, I was actually enjoying myself.

As we walked on, Iroh asked me all about my family, tribe, our customs, festivals, foods, and anything else he could think of. I let him do most of the talking, my eyes staring out toward the horizon marveling at the seas beauty. A few times I spotted some dog-phins jumping out of the water beside the ship, their yelps echoing through the air. The calls of ice-cranes rang out as the massive white birds swooped down and scooped up fish with their beaks. Iroh had stopped talking when he saw my attention had diverted to the beauty in front of me. I'd stopped walking and grabbed the railing with both of my hands to hold me steady.

"You must not travel a lot," Iroh perceived. "I can see this is all new to you."

I grimaced at his question. "I haven't… My father ordered the people of our tribe to stay in the South Pole. If anyone left, he feared it would only destroy our tribe more."

"Your father ordered?"

I pulled away from the rail suddenly missing my father. "He's Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe. His father was chief before him, but when grandpa died I was three so I didn't really know the man. Everyone in the tribe claims that when my father is done being leader he will hand over his place to my brother. Chief Sokka will have a funny ring to it in the future."

Iroh stared at me for a moment in amazement. "So your father is a chief…? Doesn't that make you and your family royalty?"

At first I was stupefied by his assumption. Then I giggled, quickly covering my mouth trying to muffle it. Iroh was amused by my reaction, but continued to give me a puzzled expression.

"No. Not really," I began, but still smiled widely at the thought. "I mean, if it was fifty or so years ago and we were having this talk then maybe you could call us as such. However, ever since the war started and our tribe was constantly pounded by the Fire Nation, our people became so small and poor that there was no room for royalty. So, yeah, being the chief's daughter does make me somewhat of a princess, but we don't give that title in our tribe. I'm just a poor peasant."

It seemed Iroh thought otherwise. "A Chief is a chief… A princess is a princess… The way I see it, you and your family are the leaders of the Southern Water Tribe. You're pretty important to your people."

I shrugged. "My father only became chief by election. Since my grandpa was chief before him, it was easy for the tribe to pick dad as their new leader after grandpa's death. Sokka may have the chance to be chief in the future, but he has to be elected for it too. I have a feeling the tribe will be more than willing to elect him though. He may be young, but he's the wisest boy out of the tribe."

After I stopped speaking, I realized I'd gone off on a ramble and blushed with embarrassment. "Sorry… I babble when I'm with strangers."

Iroh chuckled. "Nothing to be sorry about, Crystal. I asked the question."

We continued our walk for a few more minutes, and Iroh and I talked more and more. He told me about his son, and about being at war. I listened attentively but had to hide my disgust at certain stories. He also tried to explain to me what Pai Sho was. He said it would be great if we could play it together one day. I told him he could try to teach me but I wasn't great at retaining rules.

"Uncle! Why is the prisoner uncuffed?!"

A familiar irritated voice caused me to stop in my step and grimace. Iroh calmly turned to his nephew who was pacing across the deck toward us from the door to the helm.

"She's a waterbender!" Zuko exclaimed, as if no one onboard knew. "She could attack you and escape!"

Iroh sighed heavily. "And go where, Prince Zuko? Last time I checked there aren't many islands around here to swim to."

Zuko stepped over to me and grabbed my forearm firmly. "It doesn't matter! We can't risk letting her escape!"

I was getting tired of people grabbing me. I wanted to rip my arm from his hand, but I was sure there would be consequences if I tried.

"I'm not going anywhere," I promised softly. "I can't swim."

The Prince and his Uncle went silent with astonishment at my big reveal. I decided revealing that small fact wouldn't be a big deal.

Zuko seemed dumbfounded by my reveal. He released my arm and seemed unsure what to say. After a moment, he asked, "But you're a waterbender… Isn't swimming required?"

Shrugging, I answered, "You can't exactly learn how to swim at the South Pole unless you go to the north side of the land. It's a three day trek. My brother and sister went one day with my father where he taught them how to swim in the Glacier Hot-Springs. I didn't want to go with them, so I never learned."

Iroh looked curious. "Why didn't you go?"

I fell silent. I never thought in my wildest dreams I would share my past with the enemy. For some reason though, I wanted to share my story with them. For some reason, I was starting to feel comfortable with Iroh. He was kind to me, almost like an uncle I never had.

"When I was seven, I fell through a thin sheet of ice. My dad had to jump in quickly and save me. After that day going in water terrified me. I can bend it fine, but the idea of being in it chills me to the core."

Iroh seemed to take in my fears with understanding. "You had a traumatic experience as a child. That's understandable." He looked over at Zuko. "I don't think you have anything to worry about then, Prince Zuko."

Zuko ignored his uncle, looking at me with question. "So you're scared of both fire and water? You are the strangest girl I've ever met."

I crossed my arms to defend myself. "Hey! Just because I don't swim doesn't mean I'm scared of water! I don't see you walking through fire or sitting on burning piles of wood. What's the difference?"

The long silence that came after I spoke made me realize something: I'd just snapped at my captor. I'd just snapped at Prince Zuko! His eyes were lit with fire as he clenched his fists in fury. He was going to lock me back in a cell! Why couldn't I keep my fat mouth shut? Why didn't I just ignore him? My heart rate accelerated as I waited for his reaction.

Just as I thought the prince would unleash wrath on me, Iroh burst into sudden laughter. The two of us looked at the older man with question as he bellowed out more chuckles.

"Uncle! This isn't funn-"

Iroh cut him off with more laughs. Zuko's fury seemed to dissipate and his cheeks appeared to turn crimson. While his uncle continued to cackle, Zuko turned to me and pointed a sharp finger at my face. "I don't sit in fire because it can burn me! That's the dumbest thing you can say!"

I shoved his finger out of my face. My body temperature was elevating, and I wasn't sure if it was anger or my fever again. "And I don't swim because it can drown me! Same thing!"

"It isn't the same thing!"

"Both can kill you, so yes it is!"

Zuko glared at me and I glared back. As the two of us shared heated gazes, Iroh suddenly stepped between us having stopped his laughter. "Alright children…. Let's settle down." He looked at Zuko with a grin. "I'd say our guest Crystal has won this one, Prince Zuko."

The hotheaded prince huffed. "We weren't having a contest!" He grabbed my arm again and said, "I think you've been on deck long enough for the day!" As he began to literally yank me back below deck, Iroh shouted, "It's okay to admit your fears Zuko! Maybe you could share some with our guest in return!"

The teenager restraining me sighed heavily as he grabbed the door leading below deck and shoved me through.


	4. Boiling Tea

**Hey everyone! So I decided to give you all another chapter to thank everyone for taking an interest in my new work. The next chapters won't come as fast as this one probably, but I'm working on them as much as I can. Thanks for the reviews and reading my fanfiction. I'm having a blast writing this so far! Enjoy.**

 **~Faithy Waithy**

 **Chapter 4**

"Why?! I'll behave!"

I rushed after Zuko as he paced back and forth across the room pinching the bridge of his nose in thought or aggravation.

"Come on Zuko! I've been cramped on this ship for three weeks now! Give me a break!" He stopped walking and I stepped in front of him trying to meet his eyes. "It's just a port! I don't want to be bored on a ship while repairs are being made! I need to stretch my legs."

"No!" He snapped. He walked past me over to his chest where he picked up his boots.

"Zuko! Please! I need to walk around! And I've never seen dry land before!"

The prince huffed and walked past me over to the cot he snagged from the vacant room next door. It was on the opposite wall from my own cot. As he plopped onto it, he yanked on his boots trying to ignore me.

Over the last three weeks, Zuko had actually become extremely civil toward me. He still chained me up when I was left unattended, but he also was much more lenient about me walking on deck without my hands cuffed. Iroh had some to do with my small bit of freedom, but the fact the Zuko didn't argue against it meant he wasn't as bad as he could be.

A day after my spat with Zuko about him sitting in fire, I noticed that the young Fire Prince was being ten times kinder to me. I wasn't sure why, but I had an assumption it was because I'd earned respect from him. Zuko probably wasn't used to people arguing with or showing him up. I'd basically left him speechless when he couldn't argue against my drowning statement.

In all honesty, over the last three weeks Zuko and I had strangely been getting along. We didn't talk much to one another, but when we did it was always pretty civil. My fever had finally left completely twenty-four hours after our spat. Once my fever left me, Zuko decided he'd given me enough space and wanted his room back. He missed sleeping on a cot in a familiar setting, but he refused to give me another room. He said that he didn't feel like installing another cuff to keep me chained to the wall. Instead, he had one of his men carry in a spare cot stating while flustered, "It's either this or the cell!"

Being cabin-mates wasn't that bad after the first two nights. The first night Zuko and I slept in the same room, I blushed beet red when I saw him rip his shirt off. Surprisingly, Zuko had a strong build underneath his clothes and I couldn't help but stare. He shot me a puzzled look when he felt my eyes on him, and I quickly rolled away staring at the wall with burning hot skin. I could've sworn I heard him chuckle, but I pretended it was just the noises of the ship.

The second night was much more eventful. As the both of us slept I felt something rub against my exposed arm waking me from my dream. Staring in the dim room, I noticed from what light seeped in through the door cracks a black shape scuttle across my cot. When I heard it squeak, that's when I screamed bloody murder. Zuko was quick to stumble off his cot while I kicked and thrashed in the dark squealing my lungs out. He lit a torch on the wall, and that's when I screamed louder.

A strange black furred creature about four inches tall with a long pink tail and piercing red eyes looked straight at me. I screamed some more having never seen such a creature before. Iroh must've heard the screams from down the hall, because as Zuko rushed around the room trying to catch the creature, the door to the room was thrust open and a half asleep man ran inside. The beast ran out of the room faster than I'd seen an animal move. While I breathed heavily to gather myself, Zuko scolded me for piercing his eardrums over a stupid mouse-rat. Iroh assured me he'd place some traps on the ship tomorrow that would keep the creatures away from me. After things calmed and Iroh left for bed, Zuko shook his head in disbelief. "You're such a girl," he had muttered as he went back to bed himself.

That was a little under two weeks ago. After that our nights had been quiet and peaceful. Zuko respected me by leaving me space, and I respected him by doing the same.

"You are staying on this ship, in this room, with your ankle chained! End of conversation!"

Currently we were at a Fire Nation port so Zuko's massive ship could be repaired. He informed me that the avatar and my family had done quite a number on his ship, and he wouldn't be able to continue on their trail without proper maintenance. He had also informed me that he and Iroh were leaving the ship to go buy supplies. When I heard, I felt enough courage to ask if I could go. If I somehow said something to anger Zuko, he would just usually scowl and ignore me, so I wasn't worried about earning his wrath. My pleas to leave the ship earned me a rolling of eyes instead.

"Can't I at least see the land?!"

Zuko stood after his boots were on and walked over to the chain. I pouted and plopped down on the cot with defeat, knowing Zuko wouldn't let me have my way today. He walked over to me and knelt so he could chain me like always. I lifted my dress automatically to expose my lower leg. Zuko clamped the cuff around my ankle and then stood to leave. "I'll let you see it when we depart. Last thing I want is you finding a way to escape while we're here."

As he headed toward the door, I sighed heavily and fell back on the cot staring up at the ceiling. "What am I supposed to do while you're gone?"

He opened the door stepping into the hall. Turning toward me before he shut me in, I saw him gaze at me with a smirk. "You're already doing it. Stay in this room and behave. That will be loads of fun." He shut the door then, leaving me alone chained to a wall. I frowned wishing I had water to slice the cuff in half.

As I stared at the ceiling with boredom, I decided to look back on my memories to pass time. While I reminisced on memories about my family, I began to realize I was more homesick than I wanted to believe. The thought of Sokka and Katara sent my gut twisting inside me. I wanted to see them, and I wanted to be with them. I missed my dad too. He probably had no clue I was even captured on a Fire Nation vessel. I wanted my dad, my Gran-Gran, and the rest of my family. I prayed they were all okay.

Thirty minutes passed of me staring at the ceiling longing for my family. Then just as I thought I was alone in my prison, the door swung open again and I was greeted by an irritated prince. He stormed over to me with keys in his hand. I sat up with question as he undid my ankle cuff.

"Put your shoes on," he muttered.

My eyes widened and I felt my heart bounce with elation. Scrambling to my feet, I rushed across the room to grab my boots and yank them on. When I had them on, I turned back to Zuko to follow him out. As I turned, I felt something get thrown at my face. Catching it when it bounded off, I saw it was a red coat made out of thick material.

"It's cold outside. Can't have you freezing to death."

Nodding, I pulled on the coat. Zuko then gestured for me to follow him, and I did just that. As we headed down the hall, Zuko explained.

"Don't think I have _anything_ to do with this! Uncle was practically pestering me to let you come along. I have a few conditions though." He kept walking, and I stumbled to keep up. " _You_ stay by my side, _don't_ talk to anyone, and _any_ sign of escape will have you back in a cell by the end of the day! Am I clear?"

"Crystal."

Zuko growled. "Am I clear, Crystal?"

I was stumped at his repeated question, but then giggled when I realized why he was asking me again. "No… I meant crystal clear. It's an expression."

The Fire Nation prince slowed his pace, and I saw his shoulders slump. He realized his mistake and crossed his arms in embarrassment. After a moment of what I assumed was him being flustered, he snapped, "Just behave!"

The two of us headed side by side down the hall. The closer we got to the stairwell that led down to the ships ramp, I was practically holding in the urge to jump with thrill. I was about to see dry land! All I'd ever seen in my fifteen years was snow, so dry land would be so exciting.

"One more thing," Zuko began. We were heading to the lower hall of the ship to get to the ramp at the front of the vessel. "Keep your head down and don't look at anyone. Your eyes will give away your nation, and the last thing I need is everyone trying to capture _my_ waterbender."

I blushed beet red when he said his last two words. He didn't notice that he had flustered me. While he pulled me along, I looked at him with a mixture of question and amazement. I had no clue why his words sent a burning sensation through my blood. I knew what he really meant was he didn't want his prisoner taken away from him, but he should've rephrased his words a little. His touch only grew hotter the closer we got to the already lowered ramp.

Eventually we began to head down the ramp, and I was forced to blink harshly to try and adjust my sight to the blazing sun. The cold hit me, but it was far from the freezing chill at the South Pole. The coat I wore kept me pretty warm, and I was thankful Zuko had thrown it in my face.

Finally my eyes adjusted, and I marveled at the sight before me. Apart from the Fire Nation's structures, equipment, and massive ships, I could see a beautiful land I'd only heard stories about. There were mountains jutting out of the ground and expanding to the left and right. The mountains were brown and rocky, covered only in certain areas by snow. When I got off the ramp, my feet hit solid hard dirt instead of mushy snow. There were thin patches of snow around us, but mostly the earth was dirt and rock. I playfully kicked at a rock and watched it roll a few feet away.

"You're so weird," he muttered beside me.

I ignored him and knelt to the ground picking up another rock. Gripping the hard sharp piece of earth, I felt a thrill shoot through me. I wasn't touching snow! For once in my life I had something dry in my hand!

"It's so strange," I said in awe. "It's like a piece of ice, but not freezing to the touch."

Zuko raised a brow at me. "It's just a rock."

I blushed at his statement. Quickly I dropped the rock and crossed my arms self-consciously. "Sorry... I know for you it's completely familiar, but for me... Well, everything not South Pole is foreign."

He seemed to take in what I said, and then he nodded slowly. "You'll have tons more to see then. The Earth Kingdom only gets greener from here on out."

A wide smile pulled on my face. Zuko started to head toward where he saw Iroh conversing with a few men from the crew. I followed quickly at his heel, still marveling at the new world around me.

"Ah! Zuko! Crystal!" Iroh stepped away from the men and met us halfway. He seemed elated to see I had arrived with his nephew. "I've been waiting for you two."

Zuko ignored his Uncle's thrill to see us and went into full command mode. "Uncle, I want the repairs made as quickly as possible. I don't want to stay too long and risk losing his trail."

My feet had stopped when I saw a strange bug on the ground. I grinned and knelt down watching the tiny creature slowly scoot by. It had a colorful circle shell and a slimy body.

"You mean the Avatar?"

"Don't mention his name on these docks! Once word gets out that he's alive every firebender will be out looking for him and I don't want anyone getting in the way."

I continued to examine the creature and lowered my hand to the ground in front of it. Iroh spoke to Zuko again as I did so:

"You need to stop worrying all the time Prince Zuko. I mean look at our companion!"

Zuko went to snap at his Uncle but stopped. Instead, his shadow seemed to fall over me. "What are you doing?!"

I'd placed my hand on the ground and the strange bug had slowly climbed up my skin. When it was rested in my palm, I stood to face my captor. Holding up my hand, I said, "Look! It's so cool!"

His shoulders slumped in disbelief. "It's a rock-snail… They're not-"

I was so excited at my new discovery. "I've never seen one before! Are there a lot in the Earth Kingdom?"

He grabbed my wrist suddenly and pulled me toward him. I looked up at his face to see curiosity. "So a mouse-rat will make you scream at the top of your lungs, but a rock-snail can touch you no problem?" He looked deep into my eyes, and I couldn't help but be lost in his warm amber orbs. "You are by far the strangest girl I have _ever_ met."

The heat from his touch made me blush. I looked down at the rock-snail flustered by his words. I tried to make a joke because the situation felt awkward. "You must meet a lot of girls then."

He narrowed his eyes at me. His index finger and thumb picked up the creature by the shell and I saw him grimace in disgust. "Stop playing with bugs. There are more important things to do." He dropped the creature back on the ground in a pile of snow. It disappeared as it was buried underneath.

"Party pooper," I muttered. Iroh chuckled at our interaction.

Zuko rubbed his hand on his pants to get rid of the rock-snail's slime. "New rule: Don't touch anything else on the ground!"

Pouting, I hung my head in defeat.

He inched his face toward me. "Understood?"

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered. He let my wrist go finally and I crossed my arms.

"Well, well… Prince Zuko. What a pleasant surprise," a cold very low voice said.

The three of us turned to see our approaching intruder. The man before me was in his mid-forties, with graying brown hair in a top-knot. He had sideburns that framed his face and jutted out to the side. His amber eyes were lighter than Zuko's, but much more malicious.

Zuko stepped in front of me slightly, probably to shield me from the man to hide my water tribe ethnicity. "Captain Zhao," he acknowledged with distaste.

"It's Commander now," Zhao spoke with arrogance. He turned to Iroh with a polite bow. "And General Iroh, great hero of our nation."

Honestly, I wasn't surprised to find out Iroh's importance. His stories about the numerous battles he fought were enough to reveal his value to me.

Iroh gave a tight smile, " _Retired_ General."

"The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcome guests any time," the man insisted. He then grinned at the young prince before him.. "What brings you to my harbor?"

Iroh answered for his nephew. "Our ship is being repaired."

Zhao snapped his eyes across the naval yard we stood in to the ship that was steaming at the bow. Men were already busy removing broken parts from the massive vessel. "That's quite a bit of damage."

The Prince in front of me seemed to panic for a moment, but quickly collected himself. "Yes… You wouldn't believe what happened!" He nudged his Uncle in the arm with his elbow. "Uncle! Tell commander Zhao what happened."

I watched the two flustered men trying to hide my amusement. Iroh quickly tried to come up with something. "Yes! I will do that! It was incredible!" He stopped though quickly asking Zuko softly, "What… Did we crash or something?"

Zuko quickly took over. "Uh yes! Right into an Earth Kingdom ship!"

Zhao looked between Iroh and Zuko seeing through their lies entirely. He covered up his knowledge though, playing along. "Really? You must regale me on all the thrilling details!" He leaned toward Zuko with a smirk as if daring him to disagree. "Join me for a drink?"

The young prince reached behind him and grabbed my bicep to prepare to pull me away. "Sorry, but we have to go." He turned and began to pull me away, back toward the ramp of the ship. His grip hurt and his pull was too fast. I stumbled to keep up.

"Prince Zuko! Show commander Zhao your respect!" Zuko stopped walking and I stumbled over a pile of snow falling to my knees. My captor had learned over the last few weeks that I was a total clutz, so feeling me fall on the ground didn't faze him. "We would be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's my favorite."

Zuko scowled and yanked me back up to my feet. I stumbled to balance myself.

The sound of footsteps stomping through the snow echoed toward us. "That's no way to treat a young woman Prince Zuko."

The hand on my arm tightened as Zuko turned toward the man he clearly didn't like. "And you would know better, _Commander_?" He spat out the last part with distaste.

Zhao smirked. I kept my head down trying my best to hide my eyes. "Of course." He stepped forward and I shrunk as I realized just how much taller he was than myself. His eyes rested on the scar that stretched from my cheekbone down to my collar bone. "What is your name miss?"

My captor released me once more and inched in front of me. "She's not your concern Zhao."

He wasn't surprised by Zuko's defense. It amused him. "And why is that Prince Zuko? Because she's your prisoner?"

My eyes widened. Zuko tensed. He stepped further in my path to block me from the man who had discovered the truth. "How would you know that?"

Zhao sneered. "I've been around much longer than you. I know well what blue eyes and a darker complexion mean. The females of the Water Tribe are known for their grace and beauty. This girl is no different." He stepped forward to size-up Zuko. "My question is, why is the girl your prisoner? I wouldn't think you'd be one for taking on captives."

To our relief, Iroh stepped in. "The girl was on board the Earth Kingdom ship we crashed into. She fell overboard and one of our men jumped in to save her. We couldn't return her so we decided to keep her prisoner."

The man looked between Iroh and Zuko with disbelieving eyes, but he didn't question them any further. "Well we wouldn't want you to lose your prisoner then. Bring her along for tea."

"I think I'll just take her back to her cell on board," Zuko argued. "She's had enough fresh air for one day."

Zhao narrowed his eyes. "That wasn't a suggestion."

The Prince who still had a grip on me, glowered at his opponent with irritation. "And if I refuse?"

Zhao smirked. "Then I'll just take the girl off your hands."

My eyes widened. Zhao would make me his prisoner? What would he do to me? Zuko could easily defy Zhao and shove me right over to the man. Instead, Zuko pulled me closer to his side saying through gritted teeth, "Tea sounds great."

Zhao seemed disappointed that I wouldn't be his new captive. "I guess I was wrong... I assumed you didn't care for the girl." He shrugged. "Ah well." He turned to Iroh. "Shall we?"

Iroh looked back at Zuko with hard eyes. Zuko nodded as they shared a moment of understanding. Iroh then started to follow Zhao as the cruel man headed deeper into the naval yard.

"Come on," Zuko said softly. "There's nothing we can do now. Just keep your head down."

"What will he do to me..." I gulped. "I mean... What will he do if he finds out I'm a waterbender?"

The young man barely older than myself looked at me with determination. "I won't let him do anything. He won't get his hands on you. You're my prisoner."

I wasn't sure why, but for some reason being his prisoner sounded ten times better than being Zhao's.

With discontent, we both followed the two elder men deeper into the naval yard. The further we got from port, the more uncomfortable I found myself. I was being forced deeper into the enemies playing ground. I was being shoved into a situation I wouldn't be able to escape. The more naval officers we passed, the more dread I felt flow inside me. I was surrounded by men who were far from my own people. I was in a whole other world.

"Hey..." Zuko had been pulling me along and noticed my body trembled with terror. "Don't worry... I won't let anyone here touch you."

I nodded but still shook at the possibilities.

Eventually Zhao led us to a giant tent at the center of the naval yard. The tent was held down my numbers of ropes and there was an insignia for the Fire Nation on the flaps. Two naval officers grabbed onto the flaps and pulled them apart to open the way in. When we stepped inside, I had to adjust my vision to the candlelight that illuminated the dark space. There were four chairs in the room set up in a semi-circle. They faced the wall of the tent where a massive poster of the four nations was hung.

"Take a seat," Zhao ordered. "I'll return shortly with some refreshments."

With no other choice, the three of us complied. Zhao turned and left the tent to go do whatever he really needed to do. I had a feeling he wasn't going to just get us refreshments.

Zuko and Iroh quickly started to speak to one another. Zuko scolded his uncle for accepting the invitation, while Iroh replied back that he was trying to not arouse suspicion.

"Uncle! This won't be good if Zhao finds out about her. One hint that she's a waterbender, and he'll do everything in his power to take her from us!"

Iroh tried to calm his nephew. "He won't find out. And even if he does, I highly doubt Commander Zhao has any interest in a waterbender. We'll just tell him she's from the North Pole."

I shrunk in my wooden chair knowing Iroh was wrong. He was saying it to calm me, but I could see right through his lies. He knew as much as the rest of us: if Zhao found out I could waterbend I'd be shipped straight off to the Fire Lord or some terrible prison.

A good twenty minutes passed by that we sat in the tent anxiously waiting for Zhao to return. The faster we got through this tea time, the sooner we could return to the ship. The man did return finally, and behind him followed a younger soldier with a tray of tea. He must've been a rookie or something to be assigned such a task.

"Sorry for the wait. I had my finest chef brew you some Ginseng Tea as requested," Zhao said. The server placed the tray of tea on a coffee table and poured each one of us a cup. Zhao was the one to pass the tea around to us. When his hand extended toward me for my cup, I shakily took it in my hand. When the cup was out of his hold, he leaned forward so his face was only a few inches from my own. "Hope it's not too hot for your water tribe taste."

He turned from me and as he walked across the room I glared daggers at his back. As Zhao began to break into a long conversation about the Fire Nation's recent actions toward taking over the Earth Kingdom, I tried to sip my tea. I didn't really like Ginseng Tea, but I refused to show disgust in fear I'd be punished for disrespect. While I sipped down the burning hot liquid, I was utterly relieved when I managed to drink it all.

"The Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se is the last massive fortress we must break through to destroy what hope remains. Once our troops break through the city and overtake it, then we will be victorious. The Fire Nation will be unstoppable and by year's end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule. The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war."

I placed my teacup down by my feet so I could hide the horror on my face behind my hair. By years end! We only had a few months! I had to tell Aang! The Avatar needed to know this!

"If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool."

The words that left Prince Zuko's mouth completely took me off guard. He'd just called his own father a fool! My eyes looked over at the Prince with awe. How could someone who wanted honor from his father so terribly speak those very words?

Zhao scowled. "Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue." He paused. "Speaking of which… how is your search for the Avatar going?"

During the process of Zhao's long speech, Iroh had gotten up to examine a rack of weapons against the tent wall. When he heard Zhao's question to Zuko, he freaked for a moment and caused the weapons to crash to the ground. The sound of the metal echoed through the air making everyone jump.

Iroh immediately held up his hands in apology. "My fault entirely!" Embarrassed, he returned to his seat leaving the fallen weapons sprawled on the ground.

Zuko recovered from the interruption, and muttered, "We haven't found him yet."

The man sneered. "Did you really expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago along with the rest of the airbenders."

My fists clenched at his words. I'd heard stories about the Fire Nation killing everyone in the Air Nation. For a hundred years airbenders had been extinct. It was an utter miracle when Aang appeared on our snowy shore; airbenders had been unseen since the beginnings of the war.

"Unless you found some evidence that the Avatar is alive."

The room fell deadly silent for a moment. Zhao had literally blocked off Zuko's escape by pressing his hands on the arms of the chair and leaning toward Zuko. He had Zuko cornered. The prince didn't seem to waver from his goal to keep the Avatar's existence secret.

"No," Zuko finally said. "Nothing."

I felt utter relief that Aang's existence was being kept from the evil man before us.

Zhao scowled, stepping back from the chair. "Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war. If you have an _ounce…_ " He leaned toward Zuko again with sharp eyes. "Of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you've found."

Zuko crossed his arms and smirked. "I haven't _found_ anything. It's like you said… The Avatar probably died a long time ago." He stood then, grabbing my forearm and yanking me up from my chair. "Come on, Uncle, we're going." He jerked me sharply toward the exit, and I stumbled to keep up with him. Two guards who were positioned inside the tent shot their spears across one another in our path. They blocked us from leaving, and the prince scowled tightening his grip on my arm in frustration as he was forced to halt.

Suddenly a guard swiftly entered the tent, stopping and standing on the other side of the spears. He held a rolled up parchment in his hand. "Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape."

My breathing hitched and I felt my knees shake. No… Zhao knew… This wasn't good…

"Also, we questioned about the girl as well. The crew members say she was taken prisoner at the Southern Water Tribe. She is the last waterbender of her people. Prince Zuko had plans to take the girl to his father with the Avatar."

Zuko scowled, his grip on my arm tightening more than it ever had before. I winced at his hold.

"A waterbender…? The last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe… You should've been wiped out with the raids," Zhao spoke. Zuko turned us sharply so we were facing the man who eyed me with desire. "The Fire Lord would definitely give honor to the one who brings you to him." He looked at Zuko with determination. "I'll gladly take her off your hands."

I felt my blood go cold. Zuko inched me behind his tall body to block me slightly from the man. "She's my prisoner, and none of your concern."

Zhao sneered. "Oh really… She your plaything or something?"

His question made Zuko's hold on my arm burn. The prince held his ground. "She's my prisoner. Nothing more."

"If she's just a prisoner, then taking her off your hands shouldn't affect you all that much."

Iroh finally stepped in for the first time since our meeting. "Commander Zhao… As far as the laws concern, this young lady is rightfully Zuko's property. It would be a crime to take away what belongs to him, even if he is banished from the Fire Nation. Zuko has every right to keep his prisoner in his possession."

Zhao scowled. "Very well, Iroh… We'll discuss this topic later." He turned back to Zuko with narrowed eyes. "Now remind me… How exactly was your ship damaged?"


	5. Heated Battle

For many years I always dreamed of adventure and thrill. When I was a young girl, I'd always wondered what was out there beyond the wide ocean. I didn't realize that with adventure also came danger. Currently, my danger was a middle-aged man who leered at Zuko with challenging eyes.

The young prince looked ten times whiter than he originally had, and I could tell he wasn't sure what to do. Zhao had him cornered. Zhao knew about the Avatar. The prince had just told him everything since he had no choice. My secret was out, Aang was in danger, and Zuko looked like a lost polar-pup.

"So, a twelve-year-old boy bested you and your firebenders?" Zhao narrowed his eyes at the young man. "You're more pathetic than I thought."

Zuko growled. "I underestimated him once, but it will not happen again."

Commander Zhao turned from Zuko and stared at the map on the wall. "No, it will not, because you won't have a second chance."

My eyes widened. What was Zhao saying? My blood ran cold as I tried to understand what he was saying to the young man beside me. Iroh seemed alert by Zhao's words as well, but unsure what to do or say.

"Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I..."

Zhao turned sharply to Zuko, spitting, "And you failed! Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a teenager's hands. He's mine now."

No… No! Aang!

Sweat beaded down my forehead as Zhao turned to leave the tent. Zuko had jumped up from his chair and lunged at Zhao only to be restrained by the two guards in the room. Without facing the young prince, Zhao said calmly, "Keep them here." He then left the tent completely, and Zuko glared daggers at his back the whole time.

Once Zhao left the room, the guards restraining Zuko let go, and the young prince jerked away from them with outrage. He turned sharply to his uncle who had leaned forward and pressed his mouth to his folded hands.

"They can't just keep us here! I am a prince!"

Iroh sighed heavily. "You are, Zuko. But as long as you're on Zhao's naval yard you have no authority to take your ship if he's ordered it to stay. We must be patient and await further instruction. Right now it is important to keep a cool head. Don't do anything that will make your situation worse." He looked up at Zuko pleadingly. "It is best to have a seat and be patient. All we can do is wait for Zhao's order."

Zuko went to retort, but when he saw his uncle's strained expression, he let out a deep breath and his shoulders slumped. "Fine…"

A moment later Zuko returned to his chair beside me. He didn't sit down though. Instead, he passed his chair and stepped in front of me. When his hands touched my own to pry them from the chairs arms, I understood why. As soon as Zhao had started the interrogations, my nails had painfully dug into the wooden arms of the chair in both fear and dread. One of my fingers was red from rubbing against the wood, and I'd broken a nail on my middle finger. My arms shook terribly as Zuko pried my grip from the wood.

He frowned as he examined the terror that was clear on my face. "There's nothing to fear," he tried to reassure. "You're my prisoner. He can't hurt you."

My eyes snapped up to Zuko with tears. He was surprised to see me cry, but he tried to keep calm.

"What will Zhao do to him?"

My question took Zuko off guard. His brow furrowed, and then he slowly understood. He released my hands and I felt them drop limply in my lap. My whole body trembled, and I felt my lip quiver. Aang… I hadn't gotten to know the kid completely, but from what I knew he was kind and gentle. What would happen to him in the hands of a cruel man like Zhao?

"Nothing," Zuko spoke lowly, probably so the guards wouldn't hear. "Because _I'm_ going to get to the Avatar first."

At that moment I saw something flash across Zuko's expression: Determination.

Nodding, I hung my head deciding to keep my thoughts to myself. What I really wanted to say, was I thought everyone should just leave the poor kid alone. However, I knew better than to say that to Zuko.

"I promise you Crystal," Iroh suddenly said. "You have nothing to fear. Your friend and family will be fine. And no one will harm you either. Everything will work out."

Zuko and Iroh's confidence and hope did little to sway my fears. If the words came from my brother, sister, or Aang I would've been fine. But these words came from the enemy. They were not reassuring at all.

A good hour passed that we sat in suspense awaiting Zhao's return. Zuko had sat back down with defeat, while Iroh sipped more tea trying to calm his own anxiety. I'd become so anxious and worried, that I no longer could sit still. Walking in basically a circle around the room, I crossed my arms hugging myself tightly as I thought about the worst possible outcome for this situation.

If Zhao wanted to, he would have no trouble ripping me from Zuko and shoving the prince on his merry way. Once Zhao had me under his own authority, I would be stuck with him until he somehow captured the Avatar. I would be under the control of an evil man, and be forced to watch him hurt Aang and my family.

I faltered in my step. Aang… Sokka… Katara… There was no telling what Zhao would do to them.

Zhao suddenly entered the tent again, and I could see he was pleased with whatever he had been doing. "My search party is ready." He looked at the two men in the room, and then his eyes shot to me as I stood still with my arms crossed. "Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to your ship and you'll be free to go."

"Why?" Zuko began, looking at Zhao with fire in his eyes. He wanted to fight the man so terribly and was doing all he could to restrain himself. "Are you worried I'm going to try and stop you?"

The commander burst into a spout of laughter. When he stopped, he sneered, "You? Stop me? Impossible."

Zuko stood furiously with his hands clenched tightly in fists. " Don't underestimate me, Zhao. I _will_ capture the Avatar _before_ you."

Iroh stood to cool his nephew. "Prince Zuko! That's enough!"

Zhao ignored the anxious man and looked heatedly at Zuko. "You can't compete with me. I have hundreds of warships under my command, and you... you're just a banished prince. No home. No allies. Your own father doesn't even want you."

"You're wrong. Once I deliver the Avatar and waterbender to my father he will welcome me home with honor and restore my rightful place on the throne!"

I cringed. So that's all I really was to Zuko? All I would ever be to him was a prize to take home to his daddy. For a moment, I thought Zuko was starting to see me as a human being… He'd just reminded me that I was nothing more than an object to earn honor.

"If your father really wanted you home, he'd have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar, but in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation!"

The cruel insult Zhao just threw at Zuko made me feel bad for my captor. However, I didn't send him any sympathy. He didn't deserve it. I wasn't a human being to him… I was just part of his ticket home…

Zuko defended himself against Zhao's insult. "That's not true!"

Zhao sized him up. "You have a scar to prove it!"

Zuko growled and jerked his finger toward Zhao. "Maybe you'd like one to match!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"An _agni kai_. At sunset."

Zhao seemed amused at this turn of events. "Very well. It's a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle will do." His eyes shot toward me with determination. "Let's make this even more interesting shall we? If you win then you're all free to go and leave the port as soon as you desire. If I win, your waterbender is mine and you'll be kept at port a week after my departure."

My blood drained at Zhao's wager. If Zuko lost, I'd be forced into the hands of a heartless monster. I prayed Zuko wouldn't accept. However, he snapped with confidence, "Deal! Because you'll be the one losing!"

Zhao smirked. "We'll see about that." He started to leave, but his eyes shot toward me again. "Enjoy your last few hours of freedom dear. I'm sure we'll have _loads_ of fun together." He left then, and once his presence was gone I felt my legs shake uncontrollably. Somehow I found my seat again and quickly placed my head in my hands.

I shook uncontrollably as I pictured what it would be like to be Zhao's prisoner. I had a feeling it would hurt ten times worse than Zuko. Zhao wouldn't be kind and compassionate to me. He would shove me in a cold dark cell without a care in the world. He would hurt and torture me.

"Prince Zuko, have you forgotten what happened last time you dueled a master?"

Zuko pressed his hand to his face where his scar was, shutting his eyes. "I will never forget."

The next few hours that passed were painful and filled with anxiety. As Zuko paced the room trying to calm his nerves, I shakily asked Iroh what an _Agni Kai_ was. The man smiled weakly saying, "I suppose you wouldn't know… I'll explain…"

Iroh told me about the rules while Zuko continued pacing. An _Agni Kai_ was a very old and traditional firebending duel that had one basic rule: The winner was the first to burn their opponent. The duel begins with the two combatants that have their backs turned to one another. The combatants stand when they're ready, face each other, and then begin their fight at the sound of the gong. The final blow ends the _Agni_ _Kai_ and gives honor to the winner.

"So if you lose…"

Iroh frowned. His eyes shot over to Zuko who was still pacing. Back and forth… Back and forth…

"Let's not worry about losing," Iroh spoke softly.

I nodded, knowing Iroh was right. All I could do at the moment was pray for a miracle. I had to trust my captor, because being under Zhao's authority would be my end.

To my surprise, around mid-afternoon one of the guards brought us steamed fish for dinner. I assumed Zhao wanted the duel to be a fair fight, so having a starving opponent wouldn't do. It took all of Iroh's effort to encourage Zuko to eat some of the meal. Zuko did eat, but he ate with his thoughts only on the battle ahead. I ate too, but my hands shook terribly as I used the fork provided to eat the meat. By the time the sun started to set, Zuko and I both had only made it through half our fish.

Two guards came to escort us to the Grand Arena that was a massive space surrounded by the tents. The arena was formed by four large stone walls that shaped a long rectangular area. An opening was at one end of the arena where the guards forced us through. Zhao stood a good distance away when we entered, a few of his men standing beside him for ordered support. As we headed to our end of the arena, Zuko glared intensely at the man he would be fighting.

Eventually both men took their places. Zuko tore off his shirt revealing his well-toned body to me once more. I blushed beat red and tried to avert my eyes. Iroh noticed my flustered expression from the corner of his eyes and tried to hide his amusement.

Zuko knelt then, and a man came over draping a dark garment on his shoulders. Across the arena I saw another man do the same to a shirtless Zhao. As I waited for the battle, I looked around the arena anxiously for any sign of water. When I saw a few pots lined against the wall, I knew then I wasn't entirely defenseless. If something went wrong, I would be able to stop Zhao and his men the best I could.

"Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko," Iroh spoke with deep worry. "They are your greatest weapons."

Zuko stood, the garment falling from his shoulders, and I saw across the field Zhao did the same. Their backs were still to one another. "This will be over quickly. There's no way Zhao's taking what belongs to me!"

I cringed. I didn't want to belong to anyone…

The gong sounded then, and Iroh grabbed my shoulder firmly pulling me away from the fight. We inched over near the wall where we had no choice but to watch the battle. With worry and anxiety from the both of us, our eyes were pinned on the two men who faced one another with determination.

I felt my breath hitch as I asked softly, "Is Zuko a good fighter?"

Iroh squeezed my shoulder reassuringly. "My nephew _will_ win. Especially since he has something to fight for."

Zuko suddenly shot the first blast, and I watched the massive flame shoot toward Zhao with a mixture of horror and amazement. I'd seen Zuko firebend before; I'd watched him spar a few times on deck over the last few weeks. This fire was different. It was stronger and hotter. All of Zuko's emotions were being shot toward Zhao.

The man easily dodged Zuko's first attack, and then the second attack. He fired more, but each time Zhao was able to jerk to the left or right. The tenth blast did make a beeline toward Zhao, but he blocked the flames as if he were parting through water. It appeared so far Zuko was the only one even making an effort to attack. I assumed Zhao was only using defense on purpose; he probably wanted Zuko to burn out.

Eventually Zuko was breathing hard from his rapid flames, and so he stepped closer to Zhao hoping he'd hit him better without as much distance. As he approached the man, he continued to shoot more flames trying with all his might to win. Zhao blocked each one, and I felt my heart thud painfully in my chest. If Zuko lost, I might as well run for my life.

Finally, after what seemed like Zuko's thirtieth volley of flames Zhao switched to the offensive. The man crouched down and shot fire at the ground sending a wave straight toward our tired prince. Zuko jumped back, but stumbled to stay on his feet.

Iroh stepped forward, shouting, "Basics, Zuko! Break his root!"

Please! Please ocean and moon spirit! Please let Zuko win!

Iroh's words of guidance must've given Zuko encouragement. The young prince steadied himself and narrowed his eyes. Zhao fired more volleys of flames with both his fists, and Zuko blocked each. However, every block forced him back. Zhao noticed the prince was faltering and shot another blast at him. This time Zuko was forced on his back and skidded a few feet. He had blocked, but he was down.

I gasped. Iroh held his breath in horror.

Zhao rushed forward and jumped in the air. As he was mid leap he shot another blast at the young man lying on the ground. To my relief, Zuko rolled at the last minute and the fire burned into the dirt where he had previously been. Zhao landed right beside him, and with speed I never thought possible Zuko spun kicking the man off his feet. While Zhao hit the ground, Zuko managed to jump to his feet. The whole thing happened so fast I almost missed it.

To Iroh and I's utter relief, Zuko found his footing and will to win. Zhao stood shakily, and Zuko advanced on the man shooting fire with his feet toward him. Zhao appeared to lose his balance and began to wobble backward. Zuko continued his foot trick for another minute, forcing Zhao back some more. Then with a final blast from his hand, Zuko caused Zhao to fly back and hit the ground hard.

Iroh exhaled beside me finally able to breathe. I watched with amazement as Zuko rushed toward the man with his fist tight. He prepared to strike Zhao, and I saw the man look up at Zuko ready for his fate.

Zhao yelled, "Do it!"

However, Zuko didn't give the final blow. Instead, the prince shot a blast at the dirt a few inches from Zhao's head. Silence fell over the arena as everyone realized what the young prince had done. Zuko didn't deal the final blow. He had won, but he refused to burn the man below him.

"That's it? Your father raised a coward!"

Zuko stepped back from the man with narrowed eyes. "Next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back. The waterbender stays my prisoner."

As Zuko turned to leave, Iroh rushed over to his nephew with elation. He was relieved that his nephew was fine and had won unscathed. While Iroh embraced Zuko, I watched Zhao's sudden actions with terror. Jerking my hands toward the pots nearby, I forced the water out of them and threw the element through the air. As Zhao went to lunge his hand forward to shoot a blast at my two captors, I splashed the water down on him and turned the liquid into ice. Rushing over, I grabbed more water from another pot in case my first attack wasn't enough.

Somehow I found myself between Zhao and the other two men. My eyes were staring with determination down at the man I had frozen to the dirt. His arms were locked to the ground, and so was his torso. He glared daggers at me, while Zuko and Iroh stepped beside me.

"You little freak! I'll kill you for attacking me! Unfreeze me!"

I narrowed my eyes and dropped what water I was bending on top of the man's face. He shut his eyes as the liquid poured over his skin and coughed when some of it got in his mouth. Then I froze his lips, and his eyes widened when he realized he couldn't move his mouth.

Crossing my arms, I muttered, "Why? So you can try and attack someone while their backs turned again."

Zuko growled and jumped forward ready to attack Zhao. Iroh stopped him. "No, Prince Zuko. Do not taint your victory." Iroh then directed his next words to the man I froze to the ground. "So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat. Disgraceful. Even in exile my nephew is more honorable than you."

Iroh took my elbow gently, saying to Zhao, "Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious."

I was directed away from the man I froze then, and I could feel Zuko following behind. Right before we left the arena, Zuko retrieved his shirt and boots by the wall. Then we headed out of the arena to go back to the ship. The whole time we walked I kept my head down to hide my agony. As Zuko spoke to Iroh, I tuned them both out getting lost in my thoughts.

I'd been very wrong… For the last three weeks I'd thought maybe Zuko was seeing me in a different light: we were both acting civil toward one another; he let me walk freely on deck; and he let me off the ship for spirits sake! Part of me hoped maybe Zuko was starting to see me as a companion and no longer a prisoner. However, his words kept stabbing at my mind.

 _She's my prisoner. Nothing more…_

 _Once I deliver the Avatar and waterbender to my father he will welcome me home with honor and restore my rightful place on the throne._

 _The waterbender stays my prisoner._

Why was I such a fool? Why did I expect anything different?

No matter how civil Zuko was toward me, I was his prized waterbender. Once he captured Aang and took me to his daddy, he would leave me to the wolves and go on living his life of royalty. He didn't care about my wellbeing… He just wanted his honor…

"Hey…" A hand pressed on my shoulder and I looked over slightly to see it was Zuko. I tried to block my pain, but I knew it was pretty evident. "That was great waterbending… You really saved us back there."

His expression held gratitude. I didn't want his gratitude. Jerking my shoulder from him, I kept my eyes to the ground feeling my heart twist in pain. "Congrats… You didn't lose your prisoner… Now you can continue going after Aang to your heart's content. Your daddy will be pleased…"

Zuko must've faltered in his step when I spoke, because he was no longer walking beside me. Iroh kept a steady pace with me however, and I saw him shoot me concern. I turned my head from him, gritting my teeth to keep from crying.

I was a fool… I was an idiot… My brother would be disappointed in me for trying to be friends with the enemy. Sokka would've shook his head in disbelief, probably saying, _"Friends with Prince Zuko! That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard! He's Fire Nation, Crys! Nothing more!"_

"We should all get some sleep when we get back to the ship," Iroh said softly. "You two especially could use some rest. I'll have the Captain ready to set off by morning. It looks from here repairs are still being made."

I said nothing, following Iroh in silence. I had nothing to say.

 **Zuko POV**

What the Agni was her deal? I'd just won the duel and saved her hide from Zhao! I'd just thanked her for saving my own skin! The least she could do was say 'you're welcome' or look grateful herself.

Her words flooded back to me.

 _Congrats… You didn't lose your prisoner… Now you can continue going after Aang to your heart's content. Your daddy will be pleased…_

What was up with her? I thought she'd be at least relieved to still be my prisoner and not Zhao's. She'd been so worried earlier that Zhao would take her. So why was she giving me cold shoulder all of the sudden?

She kept walking a little behind Uncle, her head lowered so her long dark brown hair covered her face. Watching her from where I followed behind, I saw her arms were crossed and her shoulders were shaking. Over the last few weeks, I'd learned that the waterbender only stood that way when she was ready to burst into tears. She hadn't cried much in the last few weeks, so seeing her about to burst took me off guard.

Maybe she was still scared from the whole thing with Zhao… Crying over that wouldn't be surprising.

However, her words shot through me again.

 _Congrats… You didn't lose your prisoner… Now you can continue going after Aang to your heart's content. Your daddy will be pleased…_

I scowled. This girl was so infuriating! I beat Zhao, earned back my freedom, and saved her from a terrible fate! Why was she being so moody?!

We were reaching the ships ramp, but my thoughts were still wild.

Of course I knew why… She was moody because of me.

 _Congrats… You didn't lose your prisoner… Your daddy will be pleased…_

The events of today kept flashing through my mind. Everything I had said to Zhao, she'd heard it all. I'd spent all day calling her my prisoner. I'd only referred to her as the waterbender. I never called her by her name. I understood then why she was giving me cold shoulder. She thought I only saw her as my prisoner and nothing more. I suppose in a way that's all she was to me, but I didn't see her as such these last few weeks.

A feeling flowed inside me, and I immediately recognized it: Guilt.

I'd basically dehumanized the girl all day. It wasn't surprising that she was upset. I would be too.

She _is_ just a prisoner though… I shouldn't care.

But I did care.

Later that night, after Uncle Iroh wished us a goodnight and headed off to go speak to the captain, I led the girl through the halls back to our room. Shooting her glances from the corner of my eyes, I saw she was still trying all she could to hold in her tears. When we got back to our room, I opened it and gestured for her to head in.

She walked into the room without saying a word. She quickly shed the coat she wore and placed it by her cot. Then she plopped down and yanked her boots off placing them beside the coat. I had entered the room and shut the door behind, watching her movements with caution. I was afraid one wrong word or movement would make her burst. When she was just in her dress, she lied down on her cot with her back to me. She pulled her blanket over her body to the point where it was covering her head too. Then silence filled the room.

It was awkward… I really didn't know what to do in situations such as this. I figured the best thing to do was to give her space. Walking across the room, I sat down on my own cot cringing when it creaked. Pulling my own boots off, I set them at the end of my cot and lied down. My eyes stared across the room at my cabin mate though. The blanket could cover her up to a point, but it was clear she was crying. Her whole frame shook beneath, and I could hear sniffles.

I sighed heavily, turning away from her and staring at the wall. My eyes rested on the picture I'd hung up of my mom and I.

 _What do I do mom…? I don't know how to comfort people, especially when I'm the reason they're crying._

I shut my eyes tightly wanting to drown out her sniffles. It wasn't possible though. It seemed a good hour passed that she cried silently. Then abruptly she stopped and I rolled over to see why. That's when I saw she had fallen asleep. The blanket had slid from her face, and her body was still. Her breathing was steady as she finally let her pain take her to her dreams. She still faced away from me, but I could only imagine she had soaked cheeks and cracked lips from her tears.

Quickly I used my bending to flick off the firelight and blackout the room. If I didn't see her, then I wouldn't feel so bad.

However, even in the dark I felt like a jerk.


	6. Moonlight Song

**Crystal POV**

Silent treatment… I hadn't spoken to Prince Zuko for a whole week, and he hadn't spoken to me. We gave each other as much space as possible while the ship continued north to find Aang's trail. Over the week Iroh had noticed our distance from one another, and kept trying to get us to talk to each other. We just kept silent and turned from one another.

I assumed we'd both come to our own realization.

We couldn't be friends… We couldn't speak to one another civilly. We weren't supposed to be on equal terms. As far as Zuko was concerned, I was his prisoner and the waterbender he planned to give to his father. As far as I was concerned, Zuko was my captor and the enemy.

Being friends was not an option.

Staring at the water below, I held onto the guardrail wishing I could jump and swim to the nearest land. My mind scolded me for not learning how to swim when I had the chance. I wondered if I could just wing it, but I had a feeling trying wouldn't have a good outcome. I wasn't feeling suicidal quite yet.

It was much lonelier on the ship without my age-mate to talk to, but I was finding ways to entertain me. Iroh was still good company, and had started to teach me how to play Pai Sho. We spent hours at a time over the last few days playing together. The rules of the game were still difficult for me to gather, but Iroh was very patient and willing to answer all of my questions.

It wasn't just Iroh keeping me entertained. Members of the crew were also very civil toward me. Over the week I had met a few of the guards and crewmen who were thrilled to converse with me. I couldn't remember all of their names, but a few of them stuck with me.

Lieutenant Jee was a man around the same age as Iroh. Jee told me about his time in war, and how he had a wife he hoped one day he would see again. He told me he was popular on the ship for his singing voice and pipa playing. When I asked him what a Pipa was he was thrilled to show me. He pulled out the instrument with four strings and began to play it for me. I listened attentively, amazed by the foreign instrument.

Then I met the ship cook who I had poured boiling hot tea on the first day on the ship. I apologized for hurting him, especially when I saw he still had a bandage on his hand. He waved me off with a kind smile. Jiho was in his late forties and had once been a cook in the Fire Lord's palace. He was offered the position to join Iroh's crew, and only did so because he hated serving the Fire Lord food. The cook showed me around the ship kitchen which was huge. He let me help him cook some sweet tarts, and when we ate the delicacies we were pleased with the results. He asked me how I knew how to cook so well, and I explained to him that I did most of the cooking back home after my mom passed away. He told me whenever I wanted to come back to the kitchen I was welcome.

"Ah! There you are! I was beginning to think you jumped ship," Iroh joked.

I cringed. "I almost did."

Iroh stopped beside me, staring down at the water below. He seemed to fall quiet at my words. Then after a moment he said, "Hmm… Well I'm glad you talked yourself out of it."

I nodded, staring out at the horizon longing for my family.

"Well, I came looking for you to ask if you wanted to join the crew and me for music night. Zuko doesn't attend usually, so we'd love to have a young spirit in the circle for a change."

I smiled weakly. "Will Jee be there? I love his Pipa playing."

Iroh beamed. "Why don't you come and find out."

Running a hand through my wind tousled hair, I looked at the water thinking it over. Being with the crew for music night didn't sound all that bad. It kept me away from Zuko.

"I don't know how to play an instrument," I admitted.

Iroh smiled. "I heard you sing the other day on your morning walk. You have a magical voice."

I blushed and muttered, "It's not that good."

Somehow Iroh convinced me to at least show up tonight. After dinner some of the crew gathered up on deck with their numerous instruments. We sat in a circle on numerous crates, while others were plopped on the ground. Jee and Iroh did most of the singing, while other members of the crew played their numerous instruments. Music filled the deck and so did laughter. Some of the crew danced around playfully, while others clapped their hands to canny Fire Nation sea tunes. At some point during the night, I found I was clapping and having a wonderful time. The crew and guards that were with us were treating me like one of them. They chatted with me, let me play their instruments to which I failed miserably every time, and at one point one of the guards grabbed me to show me a traditional Fire Nation dance. After an hour of music, I was beaming with delight and let my fears and worries vanish.

"There's been a request, Miss Crystal," Iroh suddenly said as Jee played a song to the crew. "You don't have to if you don't feel comfortable." I looked over at Iroh with question. "Some of the crew would love to hear a traditional Water Tribe tune. We don't know any songs apart from our own."

My cheeks flared and I rubbed the back of my neck as my nerves shot. "You want me to sing?"

Iroh smiled. "Only if you feel comfortable. There will be other music nights."

I smiled weakly. What would be the harm? These men had entertained me for the last hour. I suppose singing them one song wouldn't hurt.

"Sure, Iroh. I'd be happy to."

He beamed with delight. Quickly, I tried to think of a song to sing and got one. It was a song Katara and I sang together at a dinner our whole tribe held a few months ago. Waiting anxiously, I tried to listen to the remainder of Jee's song. I'd never sung to the enemy before. Singing to Iroh and all of these men would be very different than my normal setting back home.

Please, spirits! Don't let me embarrass myself!

Jee stopped playing, and the group clapped for him with delight. Then Iroh stood and held his hand out to me. I took it and stood from my makeshift seat. "As requested, Crystal will sing us one of her tribe's songs."

The men cheered with anticipation, and I blushed harder than I ever had. When the crew fell silent, I felt Iroh give me a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder, and watched him return to his seat. I swallowed again and then spoke.

"Umm… My sister and I usually sing this song together. It was first sung at the beginnings of the war and has been passed on since. It's one of my favorites, so I hope you all like it."

The crew watched me eagerly. Shutting my eyes, I let the wind hit me as the words came to my mind. Taking in a deep breath, I tried to calm down so I could let the song take me away. When I was ready, I opened my mouth and started to sing.

 _We are children of the moon; we are servants to the sea_

 _While snow consumes our world, there's still warmth and beauty_

 _The ground is wet and cold, but the sky shines bright with light;_

 _there are thousands of stars that shine through the night._

 ** _The moon is our hope, and our strength, and our life_**

 ** _It keeps us from the dark and eases our strife._**

 ** _The world may seem big and something we should fear_**

 ** _But we are always safe in the land that we hold dear._**

 _Our ancestors are with us through the trials we may face_

 _As the enemy continues to destroy our dying race._

 _We will stay together as one and keep strong through the day_

 _For if we stick together then our courage shall not sway._

 ** _The moon is our hope, and our strength, and our life_**

 ** _It keeps us from the dark and eases our strife._**

 ** _The world may seem big and something we should fear_**

 ** _But we are always safe in the land that we hold dear._**

 _So children who are weary and afraid and lost_

 _Remember who your people are and don't forget their cost._

 _We are strong, we're a tribe, and our burning hope will stand_

 _And we will never lose our courage as we fight for our land._

 ** _The moon is our hope, and our strength, and our life_**

 ** _It keeps us from the dark and eases our strife._**

 ** _The world may seem big and something we should fear_**

 ** _But we are always safe in the land that we hold dear._**

 ** _Yes, we are always safe in the land we hold dear…_**

My song cut off, and at the last word there was nothing but silence. Opening my eyes, I saw the crew was speechless not just by my voice but the song I had sung. At first I wondered if I'd offended the men around me with the song I chose. Most of our tribe's songs were centered on survival and war though, so there wasn't much else to sing. However, Iroh started clapping and the whole crew followed only a beat later with bursts of applause and whistles. I blushed intensely and turned to return to my seat. When I turned though, I caught a familiar young man with burning gold eyes staring straight at me.

 **Zuko POV**

Uncle had told me to come up on deck for music night. At first I wasn't going to. I hated hearing the crew and guards sing their stupid officer songs and play annoying sea tunes. However, after lying in my room and realizing my prisoner was having fun without me, I got a little peeved and made my way up on deck. When I got there I stuck to the shadows not wanting to reveal to everyone my presence. Lanterns were lit where the group sat, and I watched the men dancing and singing through the night air. At one point a guard grabbed the girl from the crate she was plopped on, and yanked her into the center of the circle. I scowled at man, touching her so carelessly. Touching my prisoner so carelessly!

My scowl faltered then, and I hung my head mentally scolding myself. There I went again calling her _my prisoner_. She had a name… She was a human like me… No wonder she didn't want anything to do with me. I treated her like a prize and nothing else.

The music continued, and I saw the girl had returned to her seat giving the biggest smile I'd ever seen. She laughed, and her laughter sent my heart twisting with a feeling I couldn't describe.

I wanted to be the one to make her smile. I wanted to cause her to laugh.

When I realized what I'd mentally thought, I scowled again and rubbed my hand over my face. What was this girl doing to me? Why did I care if she was happy or not?

Uncle's voice suddenly called through the air with thrill. "As requested, Crystal will sing us one of her tribe's songs!"

The crew broke into applause, while I stared at the girl with amazement. She was going to sing in front of all these men? Wasn't she afraid?

The girl stood so that all the men in the circle could see her. Her eyes were facing away from me, so I knew she didn't notice my presence as I inched forward. Her long dark hair bent in the wind, and the moon above created a radiant glow around her.

"Umm… My sister and I usually sing this song together. It was first sung at the beginnings of the war and has been passed on since. It's one of my favorites, so I hope you all like it."

I inched closer, and Uncle noticed my presence shooting me a smile. I ignored him to the best of my ability, placing my eyes back on the girl.

When she started singing through the night air, I was immediately mesmerized. She sang alone, no music accompanying her, but her voice created the tune on its own. The crew fell deadly silent as her beautiful melody flowed to each of our ears. The song she sang was full of hope, but also full of pain. Through the words I could hint how she truly felt: she was worried; she was homesick; and she was alone.

When the song stopped, I was just as speechless as the other men on deck. Her words still seemed to flow through the air. Her pain still hit me in all directions.

After uncle broke the silence with his applause, and the rest of the men joined in, I saw the girl turn around to return to her seat. As she did so, her moonlit eyes shined toward me. She froze when she realized I'd been in the audience with the others.

"Prince Zuko! Glad you could join us!" Uncle shouted to alert every one of my arrival. "Wasn't that a beautiful song just now?"

The girl seemed unsure what to do as she continued to stare at me. I stood a few paces away from her, not sure what to say myself. Finally, I muttered, "Yeah… It was nice…"

She quickly looked away from me, and I could see from the lantern-light why. She was flustered. I'd flustered her; for some reason that gave me satisfaction.

The girl said something to Uncle, and he nodded with a smile. He then met my eyes. "Have Zuko escort you. It gets pretty dark below deck at this time."

The both of us looked like we wanted to protest, but then decided it wasn't wise to do so to Uncle. With defeat, she headed toward me and I watched her still mesmerized. The girl looked so different in the moonlight. If I didn't know her, I would've thought she was my imagination. There was something beautiful and powerful about this girl that I hadn't noticed before. When she stepped up to me, I saw a fire in her eyes. She wasn't giving up it appeared. She was willing to stay strong for her people.

The music started up again as we headed silently toward the door to return to our room. As we headed to the door, she hung her head and rubbed her arm still blushing furiously.

Say something! Don't just walk all the way back in silence!

Clearing my throat, I rubbed the back of my neck. "I didn't know you could sing." When the words left my mouth, I almost kicked myself. _Everyone can sing, you idiot! Even you! Not good, but you can sing!_

"I don't sing much," she said softly. "I only did it to repay your uncle for being so kind to me."

I nodded. "What was the name of that song?"

"Oh… Um… _Children of the Moon_. My dad taught the words to me when I was younger. My mother would sing it all the time when she was alive."

"Your people hold the moon highly then?"

"As much as your people value the sun," she said softly, crossing her arms as she shivered from the cold hall.

"We value the sun because its where we draw our strength," I explained.

"No different than the moon," she stated. "It looks like our people aren't all that different then."

Her words explained it all. Back on deck, the girl _had_ changed. She was drawing power from the moon above. She was at her fullest strength. That's why she looked different. The moon made her stronger both mentally and physically.

We walked a little more in silence, and I cringed as my gut twisted. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to apologize for treating her like dirt, but I also didn't want to sound weak. If I apologized to the girl, I would just reveal to her my emotions were heavy and clouding my judgment. Why should I apologize to her anyway? She was just my prisoner for spirits sake!

"Well… Here we are," she said softly. She reached for the door to open it, but I pressed my hand on the steel to keep her from pulling it open.

"Wait, Crystal," I began. She looked at me with shock, her blue eyes full of question. I'd only said her name once, so hearing me say it again took her off guard. "I- I don't do this much… but I feel like I should since we'll be together for a while…" I stopped, rubbing the back of my neck to try and gather my thoughts. "Um… I wanted to… I mean I'm…"

I sighed heavily, getting frustrated with myself. Why couldn't I just say it?

"What I'm trying to say is, I know I'm not the nicest guy and can lose my temper at times, and I know I don't treat you the way I should, and I can be a jerk, and-"

"Zuko…" Crystal cut me off. She placed her hand gently on my arm, and I looked at her with question. She gave me a small smile, her eyes full of understanding. "Don't strain yourself too much. You'll get wrinkles." Her joke allowed me to actually breathe for the first time since we left deck.

 **Crystal POV**

I couldn't believe my ears. Prince Zuko was actually trying to apologize. As he struggled to come out with the words I assumed he wasn't used to saying, I had to cut him off. For the last week I had been angry and hurt that Zuko only saw me as his prisoner. However, here he stood before me, his face bright red as he tried to say sorry. Zuko had clearly stated earlier I was his prisoner, but when he suddenly said my name I knew he didn't see me that way completely.

For the second time during my whole trip with Zuko, he had said my name. Not 'waterbender' or 'prisoner' or even 'girl'. Zuko had acknowledged me as who I was.

If I were Sokka, Katara, or anyone else from my tribe I probably would've spat in his face and refused his apology. However, over the weeks I'd gotten to know Zuko, I guess I was starting to understand some things about the young prince.

Prince Zuko was lonely and scared. He wanted to go home, but for some reason he couldn't do so until he had Aang in his grasp. He was damaged and hurt. He had no friends, just his Uncle, and the only shelter he knew at the moment was this massive vessel he resided in. Being a Prince, I had no doubt he missed his palace home and his royal life. For the first time I felt pity towards the young prince.

"Why don't we end this silent treatment?" I ran a hand through my tangled hair. "I'm kind of tired of having no one to talk to, and it is _very_ difficult avoiding you all the time."

Zuko seemed relieved by my suggestion. He nodded saying, "Yeah… That sounds nice."

Reaching for the door again, I felt him beat me to it. He opened the door for me, and I saw him stare at the floor red-faced. I thanked him softly, and then started to walk past. However I stopped, wanting to say one last thing.

Turning my head to look at him, I admitted, "I know we're supposed to be enemies… but for some reason I can't hate you. No matter how much I want to, I just can't. I keep trying to tell myself that you and your uncle are evil and incapable of kindness, but you two keep proving me wrong." I took in a heavy breath and brushed my fingers through my hair again. "It's all so confusing."

"Yeah," Zuko said softly. His burning gold eyes met my own. "It definitely is for me too."

I looked away again, feeling my skin burn from a feeling I didn't know. "Well… I'm going to get some shut eye. Goodnight, Prince Zuko."

Walking over to my cot, I heard Zuko say softly from behind. "Goodnight… Crystal…"


	7. Fire Lily

**My Christmas gift to you all. Enjoy!**

 **-Faithy Waithy**

* * *

"Ha! Beat you!"

Prince Zuko huffed and threw his cards down on the low table between us. "You have to be cheating! There's no way you're this good at _Diàoyú_!"

I grinned and picked up the cards to shuffle them again. "What's wrong Zuko? Not used to losing to a girl?"

Zuko crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at me. "You've won three games straight! I thought this game was about luck?!"

Placing the deck in the center of the table, I joked, "Looks like your just unlucky."

"Oh really?" Zuko leaned forward. "How's about we play Pai Sho instead? Then we'll see who the lucky one is."

I cringed. "You just want to play that because you know I'll lose."

"I'm unlucky, so won't you win?"

I went to retort, but before I could a knock sounded on the door. We were currently in the small meeting room down the hall from our cabin, trying to ease our boredom and avoid Iroh. He'd been questioning us furiously over the last week, noting that we'd been talking more and more to one another. He wanted to know what had changed, and Zuko and I didn't really have an answer.

"Come in," Zuko ordered.

A second later one of the guards stepped in giving a polite bow to Zuko. "Sir. Your uncle wanted me to inform you that we will be stopping at an Earth Kingdom port to resupply. He wanted to know if you and the girl desired to accompany him."

My eyes shined with delight. Looking over at Zuko with pleading eyes, I saw him shoot his gaze toward me for a moment. Then he looked over at the man again. "Inform my uncle that we will join him."

The guard bowed once more and left. When he was gone, I grinned at Zuko from ear to ear. "Did you hear that Zuko?! An Earth Kingdom port! Will there be trees? Will there be grass?! I'm so excited!"

"Whoa! Simmer down! You're going to pierce my eardrums," Zuko muttered. "You'll find out when we get there." He stood to leave. "I'm going to speak to the helmsman. I want to make sure were not getting too off course. Don't fall off the ship while I'm gone."

I saluted him as he started to turn. "Yes sir!"

He rolled his eyes. "Will you stop doing that?"

I smiled, satisfied. "One day."

Zuko sighed heavily, and then left the room. However, just as he stepped out I caught the smallest smile. It seemed I was getting a lot of smiles from the young prince lately.

A few hours later the ship anchored at the dock of a huge fisherman port. Iroh and Zuko headed down the ramp, and I followed excitedly behind staring at the new setting. The area was made entirely out of wooden buildings, and there were men and women dressed in all kinds of colors. In the distance I could make out a vast forest with towering trees of green, gold, red, and brown. The grass was sporadic throughout the port, and I saw strange animals scuttle around all over the place. As we headed deeper into the market area of the port, I noted the numerous stalls that were selling merchandise from all corners of the world.

"Wow! This is so cool!" I grabbed onto Zuko's sleeve pointing at a stall with cool shell wind chimes. "Look at all the colors!"

Iroh laughed at my enthusiasm, while Zuko rolled his eyes and kept walking.

"It's good to see such a young spirit from you, Crystal. You make this old man feel ten years younger." Iroh took out some coins from inside his sleeve and handed them to Zuko. "I need to go monitor the supplies. Why don't you go find Crystal a new dress? Hers is starting to get a little worn. I'll meet you all back at the ship for dinner around sunset."

Zuko scowled. "I didn't come out here to go shopping!"

Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder. "Then why did you come out here nephew?"

The prince fell speechless, and I smiled knowing the answer. Iroh's eyes twinkled as he knew as well.

"You kids behave," Iroh said. He then turned and headed away from us. "Don't get lost!"

"Who's he calling a kid?"

I giggled at Zuko's pouting face. "Don't take it personal. You know Iroh's just teasing you."

"He didn't used to."

"I guess your letting your guard down too much."

The prince glowered at me. I just smiled and pointed up at the sky. "Come on! Time's a wasting!"

Eventually Zuko cheered up, and somehow we found ourselves in a seamstress shop. The owner of the shop was a kind woman who grew up in a Fire Nation colony a few miles from the village. She recognized Zuko immediately and bowed with respect. I was surprised to see some members from the Fire Nation were still loyal to the banished prince.

Zuko quickly told her that we were looking for a new dress. She looked at the one I wore, saying we were definitely in desperate need. I tried to insist on a shirt and pants, but the woman shook her head in disapproval. "No beauty like you should be in such attire! A dress is the only option."

The thirty year old woman, with short jet black hair and piercing brown eyes, grabbed my arm quickly and pulled me deeper into her shop. She mainly had red and black colored clothing. She forced me to try on a number of them, and I obediently did so. When she finally came to the conclusion I looked better in red based on my skin tone, I was relieved that the pile I had to try on decreased by twenty dresses. After what felt like the thirtieth one, the woman exclaimed, "Perfect! This is the one!" She quickly shortened the hem since the dress was for someone much taller, and managed to tighten the waist. When she was done, she grabbed my shoulders from behind and pushed me toward a large standing mirror.

"There! Now you look like a radiant fire lily!"

Staring at my reflection, I was speechless as I took in my appearance. I hadn't seen my reflection since I was taken from the Southern Water Tribe. The girl in the mirror wasn't me. At least she wasn't the me I knew. First, I was paler than I used to be. Second, I'd lost probably fifteen pounds. Third, my hair was longer with more waves than I thought possible. Finally, the dress made me look older than I really was.

Strangely, my reflection made me wonder what Sokka would think if he saw me. He'd probably drop his jaw and try to throw a blanket over me. He'd tell me he didn't have time to fight off boys, and order me to cover up. My older brother would've been overprotective and completely against my new attire.

My heart ached… Sokka… I missed him… I prayed he and Katara were still okay… wherever they happened to be…

"Are you alright?"

The woman's voice suddenly broke through my reverie. I jumped and looked away flustered. "Yeah… Sorry. I just got lost in my thoughts."

"Well what do you think about the dress? Do you like it?"

Staring at the mirror again, I saw my reflection copy me as I brushed my hand over the light satin material. The dress was maroon tinted with one sleeve that just covered my left shoulder. My other shoulder and arm were bare. The part of my scar at my right collar bone was barely covered, so you could basically see the whole scar exposed. There were gold patterns on the dress that lined the top and followed the shoulder strap around the dress. More gold lace flowed around the dress in all directions creating a pattern of vines and flowers. Finally there was gold decorating the bottom. The dress was beautiful, elaborate, and above all completely foreign.

"It's beautiful," I said softly. "Are you sure it suits me though?"

The woman stepped in front of me and pulled my long hair forward to let it fall over my shoulders. "Why don't we get your companion's opinion?"

She grabbed my arm encouragingly and pulled me back to the front of her shop. When we got through the doorway, I was surprised to see Zuko still waiting patiently by the wall where I'd left him.

"What do you think?! Is she not the prettiest girl you ever laid eyes on?!"

Zuko looked up at the woman's question, and I saw his eyes widen when he saw my appearance. The dress was much different than my last. This one hugged my curves more than the other, and it showed much more skin. As Zuko stared at me speechless, I knew why he was mesmerized. I didn't look like a little girl in this dress. The thought made me blush bright red and cross my arms over my chest self-consciously.

"Um… Yeah… It looks good on her… I guess…" Zuko looked away from me, and I looked over at him seeing he too was as flustered as me.

The shopkeeper seemed pleased. "Excellent! And because it fits her so well I'll offer you a wonderful discount!"

Zuko paid for the dress, his gaze avoiding me as much as he could. When we left the shop at last, I kept my head down trying to hide my flushed cheeks. I'd never revealed this much skin before in public. At the village I always wore layers of clothing, and my old dress covered everything but my hands and above my shoulders. This dress exposed much more than any other article of clothing I'd wore.

As we headed back toward the ship, I felt like the silence was stretching on for way too long. "That shopkeeper was way too persistent. My sister would've loved that dress up ten times more than I did. Maybe I'm not as girly as I thought…"

Zuko was startled by my sudden conversation. He cleared his throat to find his voice. "Well… You dress up good…"

Looking at the setting sun as we walked back through the market, I wondered how many more evenings I would share with Zuko. No matter how much I was starting to enjoy his company, I really needed to get back to my family. I needed to escape when I had the chance.

"It's definitely different than my water tribe clothing."

"Yeah… It suits you though." He kicked at a rock too embarrassed to look my way.

"Thanks… Sorry you had to wait so long earlier. I'm sure you were bored."

He shrugged. "I don't mind. Anything's better than being stuck on the ship with the crew."

My ears perked up at his statement. He enjoyed my company… He didn't mind tagging along with me… He was starting to see me as his friend.

Deep in my heart, I was beginning to feel the same way.

 _But you can't be friends with him! He's Fire Nation! He's the enemy! He imprisoned you! He's after your family and Aang!_

My thoughts were loud, but I tried to push them away. Zuko wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe I could change him… Maybe I could help him realize the path he was on would destroy the world… Maybe me being with Zuko wasn't a problem...? My friendship to him could be a solution…

Later that evening, Iroh met us in the hall and led us to a room near his quarters. Usually I ate dinner in the room alone, but Iroh wanted me to join Zuko and him. As we headed to dine, Iroh commented that my dress was majestic and the shopkeeper had wonderful taste. He told me that the maroon color complimented my skin tone and brought out my eyes. I thanked him with gratitude.

Sitting in the room on some cushions around a low table, Zuko asked his uncle how the gathering of supplies went. Iroh explained to him everything they had gathered, and told him we had enough in stock for three weeks before we had to dock again. Zuko seemed pleased with this, not wanting anything to slow his search from Aang and my family.

While the cook prepared our food, the three of us conversed lightly about the port we had visited. I expressed my thrill at seeing trees and grass that weren't covered in snow. I also described some of the stands I saw, and how much I admired the different cultures mixed within one port. Zuko even spoke up, saying he was surprised that the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom citizens weren't tearing one another's throats out. Iroh explained to Zuko that a lot of ports and fisher villages in the Earth Kingdom were diverse and pretty civil toward outsiders of all nations.

"That's very different from the Water Tribe," I commented. "My brother banished the Avatar when he first showed up because he was a foreigner."

Zuko was astonished by this. "Your brother had that authority?"

I nodded. "Yeah… My father left him somewhat in charge. Of course my grandma has the overall authority, but no one ever really argues with Sokka so she never has to step in."

"Oh yeah… You did say your dad was chief over the tribe," Zuko remembered. "Why wasn't he there when I showed up?"

Iroh looked curious as well.

Sighing heavily, I looked down at the table feeling mixed emotions toward my father. "The warriors left our people a few years ago to go fight in the Earth Kingdom. They left claiming their mission would protect us. It's only left us vulnerable though. My father, Chief Hakoda, was the one to order their departure. I haven't seen them since they took off on their boats. We've been on our own for a while. That's why when you showed up there were no men apart from our elders… The men basically abandoned us."

Both Iroh and Zuko seemed sorry for me. "That must be hard for your people then," Iroh began. "You were left completely defenseless."

I shrugged. "We get by… The Fire Nation usually leaves us alone. The last time we were invaded was when the Fire Nation raided our village for the last waterbender. That was six years ago…"

"And then I showed up," Zuko muttered.

"Yeah…" I said. "But at least you didn't kill anyone. I guess I owe you thanks for that."

"I'm not a killer," Zuko muttered. "That may be hard to believe though…"

"No… I believe you," I promised. "That's why I haven't jumped ship."

Iroh chuckled, and the young prince lifted the corner of his lips glad to hear me say so.

Another week passed by and went. Being on the ship, I started to lose track of time and ended up keeping a chart. After permission from Zuko, I took some of his paper and an ink pen from the chest in his room and started to tally. My time in the cell was four days from what I recalled, so I put four marks down. Then I recalled that I'd been sick with a fever for five days, so that added up to nine. The three weeks before arriving at Zhao's naval yard brought me to about thirty days. Then after the Zhao fiasco Zuko and I spent another eight days ignoring one another as much as we could: Thirty-eight. Then two weeks passed after that bringing the time to present.

Fifty-two days. I had been Zuko's prisoner for fifty-two days and there was still no sign of Aang.

Zuko meditated behind me as I placed a mark on my paper. The candles illuminating my writing increased and decreased around me as I placed the ink and quill back in their box. I would add another mark tomorrow, but until then I placed the box back in Zuko's chest where it belonged trying to be as quiet as I could. Rolling the paper back up, I secured it with the ribbon Iroh had given me and silently walked over to my cot. Sitting down, I placed the paper beside my pillow, and then pulled my knees to my chest searching for comfort.

I hadn't seen my family in fifty-two days. That was almost two months. I missed them all so terribly.

The door to our room opened a moment later, as Iroh entered unannounced. His face looked grim, and I glanced at his hand to see he was holding a scroll.

"The only reason you should be interrupting me is if you have news about the Avatar," Zuko calmly said, his mind still focused on his meditation.

Iroh grimaced. "Well, there is news, Prince Zuko, but you might not like it. Don't get too upset."

My ears perked up, eager to hear what Iroh was so wary of telling my fellow companion.

"Uncle, you taught me that keeping a level head is a sign of a great leader. Now whatever you have to say, I'm sure that I can take it."

Iroh and I didn't believe him, but his uncle spoke anyway. "Okay, then... we have no idea where he is."

I smiled with satisfaction and relief.

Zuko seethed with rage. "WHAT?!" The candles on the table skyrocketed to the ceiling creating smoke in the air.

Iroh fanned himself with a fancy fan he pulled from a pocket on his robe. "You really should open a window in here."

I looked around only seeing a vent on the ceiling. It would be nice if we had a window.

"Give me the map!"

The irritated prince got to his feet and snatched the paper from Iroh unrolling it and analyzing it.

Iroh continued to fan himself. "There have been multiple sightings of the Avatar, but he is impossible to track down."

Standing from my cot, I walked over to Zuko and looked at the map while he said, "How am I gonna find him, Uncle? He is clearly a master of evasive maneuvering."

I couldn't help it. I laughed. As the noise escaped me, I realized my mistake and quickly covered my mouth. The two men in the room looked at me however curiously.

Zuko scowled. "What's so funny?"

There was no helping my situation. I just had to answer. "Evasive maneuvering…? Aang isn't trying to get away from you Zuko. He is a kid who was trapped in an iceberg for over a hundred years. He's making random stops to have fun. If you're a twelve year old kid with an uppity personality, you wouldn't really be focused on the destination as much as the journey itself."

Iroh seemed pleased with my words. "Very wisely spoken, Crystal."

"But I don't even know his destination! That's the whole problem!"

Zuko's words forced me to turn my gaze from him. If he knew I knew where Aang and my family were headed he'd try to force it out of me. I wouldn't spill. I refused to tell Zuko about Aang's plan to find a waterbending master.

"Or maybe it's not the problem anymore."

My face pulled into a grimace as Zuko read my expression so well. He shoved the map back at Iroh and crossed his arms so his tall frame was right in front of my own. His whole demeanor started to change. Zuko was turning back into the spoiled prince who wanted everything his way. Once capturing the Avatar clouded his mind, there was no way of getting through to him.

"Alright! Spill! What do you know?"

"Nothing," I lied. "I've been with you all these weeks. I don't know anything."

"That look wasn't oblivious," Zuko stated. "You know something! Tell me!"

Quickly I shut my mouth. Crossing my own arms, I tried to stand tall to let Zuko know he wasn't intimidating me. "I don't know anything, Prince Zuko. I barely got to speak to the Avatar when he was at the South Pole. How could I possibly know his destination?"

"You little liar! Tell me!"

"I'm not telling you squat, because I have no clue!"

Iroh stepped in suddenly, saying, "Everyone calm down. We were all getting along so well a few minutes ago. Let's not lose our temper and have another argument."

Zuko narrowed his eyes at me, ignoring his uncle. "I've treated you like my guest for weeks! The least you can do is tell me where the Avatar is headed!"

"I don't have to do anything for you! You're not my prince!"

His eyes widened and his teeth clenched. He didn't like that last part. "Your prince or not, I am still your captor!"

"No! You're just a bully!"

We shared a moment just glaring daggers at one another. The glare continued on for the next three hours, all the way into dinner. As we sat in the small dining room, Zuko had his fists tightly clenched on the table wanting to yell at me some more. I had my own fists tight in my lap, wanting to punch the prince to put some sense in his head. He wasn't getting anything out of me. I wouldn't betray Aang or my family to the enemy. I'd risk my life to keep them all safe.

When the cook came to bring us dinner, I dropped my gaze from the heated prince long enough to see our entrée was fish. Iroh immediately dug into his meal, sighing at the flavor and trying to block out Zuko and I's tension. The cook then whispered something in Zuko's ear, and the young prince's eyes lit up.

"The Avatar's on Kyoshi Island?" He jumped up from the table to leave. "Uncle, ready the rhinos. He's not getting away from me this time."

My eyes widened. Rhinos? This ship had rhinos?!

"Are you going to finish that?"

The Prince had already left the room, but when he heard his uncle he stormed back in grabbing his uneaten plate. "I was going to save it for later!" He turned sharply then, leaving the room. I watched him go with terror.

Aang was on Kyoshi Island? Zuko knew Aang's whereabouts… Aang and my family were in danger!

Iroh sighed heavily. "That boy doesn't know when to quit."

He went to continue his meal. As he did so I stood from the table as my heart pounded heavily in my chest. I had to stop him! I had to stop Zuko!

"Crystal… Are you alright?"

"I won't let him do this!"

Iroh sighed. "It's best not to get in his way. Once Zuko has his mind set its best to stay clear from his path."

Ignoring him, I took off down the hall to catch up to Zuko. As I went, I grabbed some water from a pitcher on my way out the door. Iroh shouted after me, but I was already racing down the hall with a trail of water following behind. Zuko was just reaching the stairs when I caught up to him.

"Zuko! Stop! You can't go after Aang! I won't let you!"

The young prince turned in surprise when he heard me speak. The hall was dimly lit by candles on the wall, so the fire reflecting off of Zuko's eyes only emphasized his sudden rage. "What do you think you're doing?!"

He turned fully toward me, his eyes on the water that hovered in front of my body. He placed his food on the stairwell behind him and then stepped toward me. He didn't look one bit pleased.

"I told you not to waterbend! Drop it! That's an order!"

I held my ground. I wasn't scared. "No! I won't let you hurt Aang!"

Zuko growled. "Crystal, drop it. I don't want to hurt you. Attacking me isn't worth it."

The water began to strain my arms, but I kept strong. "It is if it means you won't capture the Avatar!"

The young prince looked furious for my actions, but also troubled. He didn't want to hurt me. He didn't want to fight me. However, if I was getting in his way of the Avatar then he had no choice.

"Please drop the water," he said. This time he had cooled his anger enough and was almost begging me to listen. He held one of his hands out as if to gesture he wasn't going to hurt me. "I really don't want to fight you. Don't make me turn into the bad guy again. I _will_ lock you back up in a cell if you don't do as I say."

A cell…? My arms shook at the thought, and I saw a few drops of my water crash to the floor as I lost concentration for a second. I quickly focused on the element again, not wanting to let my guard down. I didn't have a choice. I had to stop Zuko from heading to Kyoshi Island. I had to fight him. If it meant being locked in a cell again, I was willing to do whatever it took.

"I'm sorry Zuko… No matter how much we think we're friends, I guess we both want very different things." I hung my head. "This waterbender is going to fight for what she believes in, even if it means attacking you."

Zuko must've realized I wasn't backing down. He frowned heavily and got into a stance ready to block my attack. "So much for finally being able to get along," he muttered.

I widened my stance and pulled the water back ready to fight. "We could get along just fine if you would leave Aang alone… but I see that option is impossible for you."

"Your right… Nothing will stand in my way. Not even a weak waterbender like you!"

I scowled at his insult. With fury I threw my water straight at him in the narrow hallway. He stealthily jumped and spun in the air right over my element, completely avoiding it. The water hit the stairwell hard. While this occurred, Zuko rushed toward me to grab and restrain me. As he approached, I gathered up the water from behind him and thrust it back toward me. The water knocked into Zuko's legs and forced him off his feet. He fell on his back and slid down the hall a few feet.

As he lied there stunned, I knew I had to get up on deck so I could have more water to bend. Racing down the hall, I jumped around Zuko who was quickly trying to get to his feet. Racing toward the stairs, I stumbled up them and shoved open the door that led out on deck.

"CRYSTAL!"

Zuko's outraged cry could be heard from behind me. The crew within earshot turned toward me with surprise. I ignored them and took off toward the rail. Reaching the edge of the ship, I saw the water below and quickly pulled some up with all my might. The stream of water flowed up at my command and I swirled it above me ready to attack.

Prince Zuko raced up on deck, his pants soaked from my attack. His fists were steaming as he came toward me with fire in his eyes. "You just lost your chance! I was going to overlook everything, but not anymore!"

The fire shot towards me as soon as his hand lunged in front of him. I gasped and slammed my water down on the flame dousing it. Then I picked up more water and whipped it toward the enraged teen. He ducked and rushed forward punching his fists in my direction to shoot a volley of fire toward me. I picked up more water to create an ice wall for protection. The fire hit the wall, causing steam to rise up in the air. As he continued to shoot fire at my ice wall, I saw the barrier was beginning to crack. Thrusting my other hand forward, I took pieces of the wall and shot them toward the prince like they were ten daggers. He threw fire at the parade of ice-missiles melting each one.

"You fight pretty good waterbender," Zuko hissed.

He was back to calling me that name. I was back to just being his prisoner. I knew it would happen, but I wasn't expecting it so soon.

"Prince Zuko! Crystal! Stop this right now!" Iroh had emerged on deck, and from the corner of my eyes I saw he wasn't pleased. "There is no need for violence!"

The sun was starting to set, and as it did so I felt my strength grow. "I won't let anyone capture Aang! I won't let the world's last hope fall into the Fire Lord's hands! I'll fight until I can't stand!"

I lifted more water from the sea far below and brought it above my head. Flinging it like a crashing wave, it traveled straight toward Zuko who jumped toward it. The prince used a jet of fire from his bare feet to shoot his body over the wave straight toward me. As he landed only a few feet in front of me, I tried to hit him again with water but he lunged forward grabbing my wrist. As he restrained my movement, the water midair fell in a splash between us. Using my other hand, I tried to freeze his feet to the deck, but he wasn't having it. His foot hooked with my ankle, and I gasped as my leg was pulled out from under me. I fell back on the deck hard, my body vibrating in pain. The next thing I knew a heavy body was on top of me, and both my hands were being pinned above my head.

"Looks like you can't _stand_ anymore," Zuko hissed. He pressed my hands harder to the deck and his knees pressed against my thighs so I couldn't move my legs. "You're a foolish girl! Did you really think you could beat me just like that?" His face inched toward me, and we both bore holes into each other's gaze. His breathing was even and controlled, while mine was hard and strained. I struggled against him, but that only made him tighten his restraint on me. "I've had years of training! I started firebending at the age of seven with some of the finest teachers in the world! You're just a poor waterbender from the South Pole who taught yourself how to fight!" His face was inches from my own. "You really thought someone with your amateur skills could beat a trained prince like me? You're stupid for even trying!"

My eyes burned but I refused to cry in front of Zuko. I didn't want him to see his words had hurt me. My muscles ached and protested as I continued to struggle against Zuko. I tried to rip my hands from his grasp, but he was too strong. "Get off of me!"

He growled. "Why? So you can attack me again?" He shouted out to no one in particular, "Bring me some restraints!"

No one on deck moved at his orders. They were all probably concerned about me.

Zuko was infuriated by the lack of response. "Get me shackles! That's an order!" His hands tightened on my wrists to the point where he made my bones ache. I hissed and tried to swing my head forward to sock him in the chin. He moved his head in the nick of time, startled by my sudden attack.

His hot breath was suddenly on my face. "You couldn't just be happy with how things were?"

I tried to rip from his hold again. "Not when the Avatar needs me!"

A few more minutes of struggling passed, and I saw Zuko was trying all he could to not seriously hurt me. When the shackles were finally brought out, Zuko had them restrain my feet first. The cold metal clamped around my ankles locking them together. When my feet were secured, Zuko had one of the crewmen take one of my hands while he kept hold on the other. They forced me roughly on my stomach, and I cringed when my face touched the cold metal.

"Prince Zuko! Don't you think this is a little cruel on the girl," Jee asked from somewhere in the background. The iron of the restraints was clamped around one wrist and my arm was painfully pulled toward my other hand.

Zuko snapped at the lieutenant, "This prisoner attacked me! This is exactly what she deserves!" He pulled my arm harder, and I gasped in pain as my shoulder became strained to the point of dislocating. "Let's finish this!" He clamped the other iron around my last free wrist, and then released me. The iron on my ankles and wrists dug painfully into my skin as I tried to struggle out of them.

The body on top of me finally left, and my struggles ceased. The way my hands were restrained behind me was painful and uncomfortable. I knew I was getting the punishment I deserved, but I didn't expect Zuko to treat me so terribly after everything we'd been through together.

"Prince Zuko! You've done enough to her!"

Zuko growled. "Stay out of this Uncle! She knew what she was doing the moment she started bending. I made a clear order that she wasn't to waterbend or fight me. She did both, so she must be punished!" He stepped away from me, and I shut my eyes wishing I had been stronger. "Pick her up!"

Two men stepped forward and gently helped me up to my feet. My body was stinging and aching in every place imaginable. My head was dizzy from being thrown around so much. When I was brought to a stand, I immediately tried to hold my head up. I didn't want Zuko to see he'd beat me emotionally.

Zuko was soaked from our fight, and I could tell I'd gotten a few hits on him which made me pleased. He'd done a number on me though, so there was no room to smile. He stepped over to me irate. His hands were steaming as he tried to hold in the fire he wanted to let out. "Take her to the cells! If I find out anyone has undone her restraints or let her out, I will personally see to it the one responsible is punished!"

"The cells? Are you sure sir?"

Zuko turned his head sharply toward the young guard questioning him. "You have a problem with that?"

The guard hung his head knowing it was best for him to keep his mouth shut.

I tried to catch my breath and finally found my voice. "The cells! Oh! I get it!" I was so outraged that I just wanted to keep speaking my mind. "You want me locked up so I don't get in your way! Are you scared of me, Zuko?"

The young prince was shocked by my outburst, but narrowed his eyes. "Get her out of my sight! And don't feed her until I say you can!" He stepped closer to me. "You thought I wasn't evil like my father… Well you're wrong! I'll show you what happens to those who oppose me."

"Prince Zuko! Get some sense in your head! This is Crystal, not some animal!" Iroh stepped forward, but Zuko ignored him. "You need to cool off nephew! You're about to do something you'll regret!"

"Enjoy some time alone," Zuko hissed to me, completely blocking out his uncle. "Maybe it will remind you of your position on this ship! Take her away!"

As the two guards regretfully dragged me back to the door to take me deep below, I shouted at the young prince who turned away, "I was wrong! You're no different from your father! All you care about is your stupid honor! I hope Aang gives you everything you deserve!" I struggled in my restraints again, while Iroh shouted at Zuko some more. Eventually the guards dragged me to the stairwell, and I was forced into the dark hole I had put myself in.


	8. Cooling the flame

**Here's the next chapter! =)**

* * *

The ship swayed as I tried to move my body against the wall to get comfortable. It had been twenty-four hours since I attacked Zuko, and so far I had been alone. I was dying of thirst, and my stomach was empty. My ankles and wrists were numb and caked in dry blood. My body ached, my head hurt, and my heart was in agony. The whole time I sat in my cell, in the dark, all I could think about was Aang and my family.

Aang… Katara… Sokka…

The ship had stopped only a few minutes ago. I knew this because when the ship stopped the halt sent me falling on my side. My arms were behind my back, so I hadn't been able to catch myself. Thankfully there was a moldy cot I managed to fall on. It was a struggle to sit back up though, but I managed.

Shutting my eyes, I tried to picture good thoughts. Zuko would lead his men through Kyoshi Island, but Aang and my family would easily escape him. I prayed that the empty cells around me would stay just the same: empty.

Eventually, after a long silence passed, there was a sudden quake in the boat that sent me falling again. I gasped as this time my body fell on the steel instead of the cot. Something must've hit the ship, and it was something from below. Pressing my ear to the steel, I heard the mutest noise. It was like a very dim growl, and it echoed through the floor. There was some type of creature in the water, and I knew it was probably big. I shut my eyes not wanting to die being eaten by whatever swam below the ship.

It seemed another thirty minutes passed. I hadn't moved from my spot, kind of enjoying to cold steel on my cheek. My arm was uncomfortable, but I was tired of moving when all I'd do was fall down.

The door to the cell hall opened suddenly, and heavy steps stomped in. I somehow maneuvered into a seating position again not wanting to look weak. Just as I sat up, Prince Zuko came into my vision. He held a torch which he placed on the wall. Originally, I'd been in the dark. This sudden light source made me cringe.

"I hope you're happy," he spoke, his voice strained as he tried not to yell. "The Avatar and his friends escaped me. That stupid boy's pet is too fast!"

My throat was hoarse, but I was able to speak. "Yeah… I am happy. I'm actually elated! If Aang's _pet_ was here right now I'd give the big guy a kiss of gratitude."

He growled. He turned and walked over to my bars crossing his arms. "I can see you still need to learn your lesson." His eyes looked over my state, and then an idea struck him. He sneered. "How's about this… You tell me where the Avatar is headed, and I'll take off your restraints to make your stay in this cell more comfortable."

"I'm perfectly comfortable," I lied.

Zuko looked at my position with knowing. "I doubt that." He leaned forward. "Don't make things worse for yourself. If you behave, I'll think about letting you out in the next few hours. Where is the Avatar headed?"

I kept strong. "Definitely not toward you."

He gritted his teeth to keep from yelling at me. Quickly he pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're only making this worse for yourself. Tell me what I want to know, and your punishment won't continue for much longer."

"You honestly think I'm going to give up the Avatar's destination for my comfort… You have a lot to learn about me."

"So you won't say anything?"

I smirked. "Do what you want to me. As far as I'm concerned, protecting Aang is more important than my own self."

Zuko grabbed the bars hard. "You will answer me! Where is he headed?!"

"Which way did he fly? Maybe that can give you an idea."

He gave up. "Fine! Keep quiet all you want! I was going to offer you some dinner tonight, but I think you lost that privilege! I'll be back in the morning. That should give you some time to make a wise decision."

He turned sharply on his heel. As he started to head toward the cell door, I shouted, "Yeah! That's a great idea! Leave me to starve! But the least you can do is give me something to drink! Even a caged animal deserves that much!"

Zuko faltered in his step.

"If you want me to die, then fine! If you don't, give me some damn water!" I was desperate. "I haven't had anything to drink for over twenty-four hours!"

It seemed that silence fell over the hall. The prince was either shocked by my swear or uncertain about my plea. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, and his shoulders slumped. "Fine. I'll have someone bring you some water." He left me then, walking out of the room and shutting the door to the cells behind.

 **Zuko POV**

Gripping at the rail of the ship, I stared at the horizon as we followed the Avatar's last direction. Uncle kept his distance from me, hoping maybe if I was alone to my thoughts I would cool down my head. So far I was. So far I felt nothing but regret.

When Crystal attacked me the other day, I was so infuriated because all I could think about was the Avatar. I let my anger and determination cloud my heart and judgment. My honor _was_ more important than my friendship with Crystal, and I kept trying to tell myself that. However, there was still her voice shouting in my head.

 _"I was wrong! You're no different from your father! All you care about is your stupid honor!"_

Shutting my eyes, I hung my head wishing her words weren't true. Why was I so troubled when it came to her? I grimaced and hung my head more wishing I knew what to do. I was pretty sure she hated my guts again after what I did and said to her. She'd already given me the silent treatment once, and I was pretty sure my loss of control only returned us to that stage.

We'd become friends, and I screwed it up just like I always do. I screwed up bad this time.

"Prince Zuko," my uncle suddenly said behind me. "The crew and I believe the girl's been down there long enough. If you leave her restrained like that any longer, you could seriously harm her spine. She needs movement and air. A nice meal would do her some good too."

I clenched the rail harder. "She'll be released as soon as she tells me what I want to know."

"That's foolish," Uncle tried to say without snapping at me. He took in a hard breath to calm his own frustration. "You know she won't give up her family and the Avatar to you. This isn't some weak and scared girl, Zuko. Crystal has a pure heart and strength I haven't seen in many years. She will protect the world's last hope until her dying breath."

Gritting my teeth, I shut my eyes tighter. "Leave me Uncle! I need to think!"

"She's catching a fever again… I hope you know what you're doing."

Uncle left me to my thoughts, and I placed my arms on the rail pressing my face into my hands. Why did I care? She's just a prisoner… She's just a prize…

No… She's just a girl… She's a girl who's been ripped from her family and is among a vessel full of nothing but her enemy. She's alone and scared. She's vulnerable and powerless.

Standing at the rail for a few more minutes, I had to hold myself there as my emotions tried to control me. Then when I couldn't hold in my emotions anymore, I turned sharply from the rail and headed down below deck. Going to my room, I went to grab the set of keys from my wooden chest. As I did, I saw a piece of paper balled up inside next to the box of ink I never used.

Taking out the piece of paper, I opened it up and tried to smooth it out. From the light of the fire, I was amazed to see she had drawn out with ink a sketch of me. It was a well-drawn portrait of my face and upper torso. She must've drawn it while I was meditating, because my eyes were closed and my face held deep concentration in the sketch. She'd done a small outline of my scar, but it wasn't predominating in the piece. Instead, she emphasized the shape of my face, the curve of my eyes and lips, and showed an image I never thought anyone would see me as.

She didn't see me for my scar. She didn't see a damaged prince. She just saw a teenage boy with burning confidence.

Not anymore… I'd ruined that…

Placing the paper on the table, I stood with the keys in my hand. I knew this time she wouldn't forgive me, and I wasn't expecting her to.

On my way down to the cells, I stopped by the kitchen and ordered the cook to prepare a meal. When he found out who it was for, he quickly jumped into action. I was surprised by his eagerness. She had definitely impacted many of the crew during her stay.

Eventually I reached the cells. Opening the door, I stepped through and found nothing but silence. Walking down the hall past the numerous empty cells, I stopped when I got to hers. When I saw her state, I cringed and felt my heart burn again with guilt and regret. Opening the cell door, I stepped inside over to where she lay uncomfortably on her stomach. She was on the cot with mildew, her hair tangled and covered in dirt. Her ankles and hands were bloody and raw from rubbing against the irons that still restrained her. The dress we'd just bought her a few weeks ago didn't even look the same color. Her breathing was heavy, and her face was clenched in pain.

Kneeling beside her, I first undid her wrists. As soon as I touched her wrist, I immediately felt the warm liquid of her blood soak into my own skin. When her hands were free, I saw them fall limply to her side. She didn't respond to my touch. I assumed she was out cold from exhaustion. Undoing her ankles as well, I grimaced at the damage done knowing it was my entire fault.

As gently as I could, I grabbed her shoulders to roll her over. As soon as I touched her, I cringed when I felt the bones of her shoulder beneath her skin.

 _Nice going you idiot! You probably starved her to death!_

Rolling her onto her back, I looked at her dirt stained face with agony. She looked like she was in a lot of pain, even though she slept soundly. Scooping her up carefully, I managed to get to my feet. When I did I noticed she weighed much less than she had when I first brought her on the ship. She was probably twenty pounds lighter, which wasn't a good thing for a girl her size.

With not too much strain, I managed to carry her upstairs to take her back to our room. She didn't respond during any of it, and when I eventually got inside our room she still didn't respond. Placing her carefully on her cot, I quickly began to inspect her wrists and ankles. Her skin was rubbed raw, and there were fresh cuts on each. Heading over to my chest, I found the box of bandages I kept for precaution.

A knock on the door sounded as I grabbed a bowl of water and a rag too. I didn't say anything, focused more on making her as comfortable as I could. With the bowl and water I started to wipe the blood and dirt from her wrists. Her breath faltered, but her sleep continued. She was too exhausted to let the pain wake her.

"Prince Zuko?" My uncle's voice spoke up from behind. He'd opened the door and walked in. "A guard saw you carry her up here. What made you change your mind?"

I wiped at her other wrist as carefully as I could. When I hit a cut her breathing hitched again and I froze. When it returned to normal once more, I sighed with relief.

"I don't know," I honestly answered. "At first I was outraged and wanted to make her suffer. However, I couldn't do it. My chest hurt knowing she was suffering because of me."

Iroh seemed to take in what I said. "Hmm… Is that so…" He knelt beside me suddenly, and I watched him inspect her ankles as he continued speaking. "Well she definitely needs these wrapped up with gauze. She's going to be very sore when she wakes up."

"I'll have to wake her up. She needs to eat," I muttered.

"Ah! So you agree starving the girl wasn't the best idea," he said in a told-you-so tone.

I handed the bowl and washcloth over to Uncle. He took it and carefully started to wipe at her bloody ankles.

"I let my anger cloud my judgment. I know I went too far this time. She won't forgive me, and I'm aware I can never win her trust again…"

Uncle nodded. "You may be surprised… Crystal may not react the way you think she will."

"Any human would never forgive someone who hurt them like I did to her. I don't expect her to ever talk to me again."

I grabbed the gauze and took her hand again trying to wrap the bandage as best as I could. As the material pressed to her skin, her hand jerked from me and I stared at her in surprise. Piercing blue eyes met my own, and I could tell they weren't pleased. She quickly lunged her hand toward me to slap me, but I was faster. Grabbing below her wrist, I stopped her swing and she scowled with fury.

"Let me go!" She looked around the room and to my surprise was irritated. "I was doing perfectly fine in my cell! Why am I up here?!" She lunged at me again with her other hand. I caught that one as well. I held her arms firmly as she struggled from my hold. She was moving her body so much that her foot kicked the bowl in the room shooting water across the floor.

"Crystal! Fighting at the moment won't do your body any good! You need to be treated and given food!" Uncle had stood and stared down at the girl who was fighting as hard as she could. "You're punishment is over."

She only jerked against my hands harder. Her eyes glared daggers at me as she gritted her teeth from the pain shooting through her body.

Uncle tried again. "You're only making your pain worse. You need to calm down."

"Tell him to let me go then!" She tried to yank from me again. "I'll stop when he gets his hands off of me!"

The new fire in her eyes wasn't something I'd been expecting. It only made me tighten my hold more. "Why? So you can try and slap me again!"

She growled and thrashed her body to try and pull from me. As she did her arms slid in my grasp, and before I knew it my hand was wrapped around her injury. She cried out and stopped thrashing, her eyes shutting tightly as the sting must've shot through her nerves. Jerking my hands away from her, I watched as she turned on her side facing away from me. She curled up and pulled her hands close to her chest. Her body shook as her own movement sent more pain through her muscles.

"Stop being so stubborn!" I was desperate to make her let me help. "If you don't let us clean your wrists and ankles they'll get infected!"

She kept silent. Her eyes were still shut tight. Her teeth were grit as she tried to brush away the pain. A small tear escaped the corner of her eye and fell down the line of her nose.

A knock on the door sounded. Uncle went to answer it while I stared at the girl with loss. She didn't want me to touch her. I was expecting her to hate me, but this much hate right off the bat was throwing me off.

"Sir… I prepared the girl's food and brought the tea you requested," the cook said.

Tea? I didn't request tea…

"Thank you, Jiho." Oh. Uncle requested the tea. "Would you mind locating some fresh bandages for us? We'll need them to treat her wounds."

My knees were sore from the position I'd been in. Standing from my place, I looked over to see Uncle holding a tray of steamed fish with a cup of tea. As Uncle stepped over, he said softly to myself so she wouldn't hear, "I've had the cook place some herbs in her tea and food. After she eats they should knock her out for a few more hours. I'll retrieve you when she's asleep again so we can try to put the bandages on her."

I nodded. "I'm going to get some fresh air… Keep an eye on her."

Uncle knew what I meant. "She's in good hands."

Leaving the room, I shut the door behind and fell back against the frame with exhaustion. What had I honestly expected from this? I shouldn't have been such a fool. Her reaction when she woke up had startled me, but it was bound to happen. She wouldn't just lie still and cooperate after everything I did to her. She'd try to hurt me and even the score. She was too hurt and angry with me to see past everything I did to her.

She hated me.

An hour later, Uncle found me on deck where I paced heavily. When Uncle told me she had eaten and the herbs kicked in, I eagerly followed him back to the room. When I got there this time she was really out cold. Her breathing was even and her tearstained cheeks were flushed. We quickly placed some herbal cream over her wounds, and then wrapped up her injuries with gauze. When we were done, we both sighed glad she hadn't woken from her sleep.

"I suggest you sleep down the hall tonight, Prince Zuko. I'm certain you won't want to be choked in the morning if she wakes up before you."

Placing the satin blanket over her, I let my hand stop right over her collar bone where the scar was exposed. My eyes trailed the scar from the collar bone to her cheek bone. She was hurt by a firebender in the past. It seemed all firebenders ever did to her was hurt her. I wasn't any better than the man who burned her.

"I'm going to bed," I said softly. "I'll keep my distance for a few days. The last thing we need is her trying to sink the ship again."

 **Crystal POV**

Another mark… sixty days… I'd been prisoner for sixty days.

Staring down at my hands, I saw the bandage that Zuko had placed on both my wrists. Iroh had been quick to tell me who my savior was, but it made no difference to me. I refused to thank Zuko, or even run into him for that matter. I was tired of fighting, and I was tired of crying. I preferred these days to be on my own. Iroh came in to try and give me company, but other than his chatter I kept to myself. He tried to invite me to music nights, but I declined his invitations. I walked on the deck after lunch to get some sunlight, but after a while I would return to my room where I remained until the next day.

As I sat in solitude, I felt more homesick than ever before. I worried for my family, and for Aang. I worried about the tribe, and my grandma. I feared father was in danger or worse. I was terrified of never seeing my loved ones again. I wondered if I would die, and never be able to say sorry to my sister for keeping my waterbending a secret.

I was terrified of being alone for the rest of my days.

A knock on the door sounded, but I kept silent. I knew whoever it was would just walk in anyway. When Iroh walked in a moment later, I kept my eyes on the paper that was full of black tallies. Rolling it back up, I winced when the movement from my hand caused my wrist to protest in pain.

"I wanted to keep you informed… I thought some happy news would cheer you up," Iroh began. He walked over to me and placed some tea beside me. "Yesterday we stopped at an earthbenders prison yard. Your family and the Avatar had been there from what sources tell us. They helped lead a prison riot that freed the earthbenders inside. We are on the Avatar's trail, but so far your friends have evaded us. You don't have to fear their capture quite yet."

I only nodded in response.

"Also, I wish you would come out of this room more. The crew misses your presence. I haven't had anyone to beat at Pai Sho lately."

I ignored his request.

"Crystal… I know you've been hurt, but you should be aware that Zuko regrets what he did to you. It's been eating him alive."

Shutting my eyes tight, I finally spoke. "If that's the case, he should be the one saying that." Taking the tea, I sipped it slowly trying not to burn my tongue. "It doesn't matter anyway… It's better we're not friends. We'd just keep running into this problem. We're enemies, and it should stay that way." My hands cupped my teacup and I stared down at the steaming liquid. "Zuko's going to be future Fire Lord like he wants, and all I'll ever be is his waterbending prisoner. We're just too different…"

"I see… Perhaps that all will change. And you may find you and Zuko aren't as different as you think."

"Don't hold your breath."

Iroh sighed heavily. "I want to tell you something, Crystal. I think its best you hear it from me." I turned my head and looked at the man with question. "You need to hear the story about why Zuko was banished. I don't expect it to change your mind about him, and I don't want it to make you feel like you have to be sympathetic toward him. However, I think if you hear it you may be able to understand him more."

Turning around, I sat cross legged cradling my aching hands in my lap. Iroh sat cross legged as well, his eyes watching me as if waiting for my permission to continue.

"I'll listen," I promised. "But it won't change anything. Zuko isn't my friend and will never be."

He smiled weakly. "Of course." Then he hung his head and frowned heavily at the story he was about to tell. "You should know that Zuko was once a kid just like you. He enjoyed many things. He loved feeding turtleducks, and picking on his little sister. He shared a very close bond to his mother. He was thrilled at the idea of becoming a firebending master in the future… Of course, all of this was before Fire Lord Ozai took the throne."

As Iroh spoke, I kept my eyes on my hands. However, I was attentive and soaking in the information.

"You see, originally by birthright I was to be the next Fire Lord once my father passed on, and then the throne would be passed to my son Lu Ten. However, my son died in battle and because I had no male heir to pass on the throne to, Ozai took it. Suddenly, pressure was placed on Zuko to learn all he needed to know about being a Fire Lord in the future. He was ripped away from his usual routine and forced to study with private tutors. His hopes and dreams of mastering firebending were put on hold as he was forced to study rigorously the laws and economic structure of our land. For Zuko, pressure had been shoved hard on him to become a perfect successor for the throne. At first my nephew didn't want such a responsibility, but overtime the idea of power started to get to his head. He soon became thrilled at the thought of taking the throne when he was older. He'd write me letters packed with plans about what he'd accomplish when he ruled the nation one day. I could see he was doing all he could to make his father proud."

Looking up at Iroh, I was surprised by what he told me. Zuko hadn't wanted to be Fire Lord originally?

"I'd been on my own little journey for a few years after my son's death. When I returned to the palace, I could see Zuko had changed immensely. After the loss of his mother, the playful and cheerful young boy I once knew was gone. In his place was a young man trying to make his father proud. The day Zuko lost it all was about three years ago. The young prince wanted to attend a war meeting that his father had called into place. The guards wouldn't let him in because he was just a mere child, and he begged me to let him come. I'd been against it to start, but his persistence won me over and I ordered the guards to let him pass."

Tears filled in the old man's eyes as he remembered that day clearly in his mind. My heart pounded in my ears as I waited to hear what happened.

"Zuko attended the meeting and the first part of it went well. I'd warned him not to make a sound when we stepped inside. The older general's get a little sensitive when it comes to war talk, so interruptions lead to punishment. As the meeting went on, and discussion got a little heated, something was said that greatly upset Zuko. One of the generals was planning a strike against an army of elite Earth Kingdom soldiers. The general stated that he would send in a group of rookie's at the front, and his more experienced fighters would come in at the rear. Zuko had read enough about battle strategy to know what this meant: the rookies would be a sacrifice."

I covered mouth in horror, and felt my body shake at his words.

"I should've known he would speak up, but I didn't catch him in time. He spoke out against the plan and his father was enraged. The Fire Lord wanted to teach Zuko respect, and therefore he challenged his son to an Agni Kai. At the time, Zuko was only thirteen and not as experienced as his elders. He thought he would be fighting the general he spoke out against, but it turned out his opponent was his own father."

My eyes burned with water as I pictured this all in my head.

"When Zuko saw who he would be fighting, he immediately refused. His father called him a coward and ordered him to fight. Zuko refused to attack his father, and the Fire Lord shot fire at his face to punish him. I will never forget that scream. I will never forget the smell of his flesh being burned. I will never forget the pain that struck through me as I stood helplessly in the crowd only wanting to run over and protect my nephew."

As Iroh continued to speak, I felt water run down my cheeks. My hand pressed at my cheekbone and trailed down to my collarbone. I knew what burning flesh smelled like. I could only guess Zuko's scream was as agonized as my own. Had he wished for death at that moment like I had? Had he been blinded by the pain and left on the ground to rot like me?

His own father… His own father burned him…

"After the duel, the Fire Lord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honor. Zuko has spent almost three years fighting to reclaim his father's love. That's why when it comes to capturing the Avatar, my nephew gets hot-headed and blinded by determination. He refuses to let anyone get in his way, even if it means hurting them. All he wants is to be welcomed back home and reclaim his honor."

The room fell quiet then, and Iroh waited for my reaction as I retained all of this information. It all made sense to me… I wasn't sure how to feel… My heart ached for Zuko, which upset me greatly because I didn't want to feel sorry for him. However, I couldn't shake away my pity for the young man.

"I can't imagine… I can't imagine how I would feel if my father burned me…" My voice caught in my throat.

"The moment Ozai burned his son I could see that Zuko truly meant nothing to his father. After that day I couldn't abandon my nephew, no matter how much he fought and yelled at me to scare me away. I vowed the day we set off for Zuko's banishment, that I would never leave my nephews side. Over the years I'm proud of the decision I made that day. Zuko has truly become a son to me… he will never be able to replace Lu Ten, of course, but he does heal some of the loneliness I feel inside me."

He sighed heavily. "I suppose that makes me selfish in a way. I've filled the void but Prince Zuko is still alone."

"He's not alone," I finally spoke. My voice was strained from the pain inside me though. "He has you."

Iroh hung his head. "The thing is Crystal… I can't give Zuko the friendship he needs. You though… You can. Over the last two months you've been with us, I've seen a change in my nephew. Before this current fight, Zuko had a shine in his eyes I haven't seen since he was a young boy. You brought something to my nephew I didn't think he'd ever find: contentment. For the first time in years, Zuko actually smiled." He stopped and took in a deep breath. As his gold eyes met my own, I could see he was desperate. "I want to see him smile again. I want him to be happy, and to understand there is good in a world that may seem so dark to him. I don't ever expect you to forgive him, or to trust him for that matter… but I do ask you give him another chance. He's worried about you, and he is terribly sorry for what he did to you."

Iroh let the room fall in silence again. As silence fell over the room, I turned back to the table and pushed the papers I'd used for tally-marks aside. Staring at the paper underneath them all, I saw the drawing of Zuko I had created while he was distracted in meditation. The determination and confidence I sketched that day made sense to me. Zuko was alone and desired to go home. He desired to make his father proud and earn back a love that didn't even exist. Zuko was broken and angry. He was blinded by honor, and couldn't see past his yearning to earn back all he'd lost.

He knew only how to be a prince and nothing about being a young man.

Iroh stood to leave then, deciding to let me think in peace. As he headed to the door, I asked softly, "Did you mean that last part Iroh…?"

He turned toward me in question. However, the corner of his lips pulled up to reassure me. "His words… Not mine." He left me then, closing the door behind.

I stared down at the table in front of me when I was left alone. Shutting my eyes, I hung my head and let my long hair fall over my face. My bandaged hands rested on the table as I finally understood.

 _"The Fire Nation is full of nothing but heartless monsters," my brother snapped, kicking at a piece of ice and sending it sliding into the water. "One day, I hope those beasts get everything that comes to them."_

 _"They can't all be evil… What about the women and children? I'm sure someone in the Fire Nation has a heart."_

 _"How could you say that?" Sokka marched over to where I sat on a mound of snow. "After what those monsters did to your face and mom, how can you defend anyone from their kind?"_

 _I twirled my hair trying not to look into my brother's furious gaze. "I- I don't know… I guess I just find it hard to believe that no one in the Fire Nation has a heart. Once long ago our people and the Fire Nation got along just fine. They're humans like the rest of us."_

 _Sokka grabbed both of my shoulders and inched his face toward my own. "Crys… You listen_ very _closely. I don't want to hear you ever say something like that again! The Fire Nation is full of nothing but heartless savages who won't hesitate to kill anyone who gets in their way! Dad may have gone to war, but his message was clear. No matter what, we never forget who the real enemy is! Never forget, Crystal!"_

The real enemy…?

Rolling up my paper and putting away my ink, I stood and walked over to the wall by my cot. The picture of little Zuko and his mom still hung where I first saw it. My finger pressed to the drawing and I traced the line of Zuko's mouth: a smile. Only those with hearts smiled.

Not everyone in the Fire Nation happened to be a monster. Zuko wasn't a monster… even though he hurt me, I could sense from Iroh that Zuko was sincerely sorry. No monster would be sorry…

Smile… I wanted to see Zuko smile again…

I would show him the light.


	9. Hot Springs

Standing on deck, I stayed to the shadows as I silently followed Zuko. He was out for a morning walk; his face appeared conflicted as he strolled along the edge of the ship. He let his hand trail along the ship railing as he stared at the horizon.

For twenty-four hours I'd been debating what I should do. I desired to speak to Zuko, but I didn't know what to say. Late last night I walked down the hall to the room he was staying in. I'd thought I was ready to speak to him, so I knocked on his door. However, as I heard the latch on the inside start to move, I panicked and took off down the hall. Quickly, I darted around a corner and hid, covering my mouth so he wouldn't hear me breathe. I assumed he realized no one was there, and shut the door to return to be bed. Sighing heavily, I kicked myself for panicking and being a coward.

Here I was again. I was being a coward once more as I tailed Zuko but kept out of his sight. I fumbled through my mind for what I should say, but words just didn't come. Every once and a while, Zuko would stop and turn his head; I jumped out of sight quickly behind a crate or barrel. When he would continue walking, I'd let out a heavy sigh and start forward again. The crewmen near me snickered at my actions, and I blushed trying to ignore them.

It seemed I followed Zuko for half an hour, and there were numerous points where I thought I was going to say something.

Coward! Just talk to him!

He stopped walking again, and I knew it was my chance. "Zuko…"

He didn't hear me, his eyes set down at the water below and his brows furrowed.

"Um… Zu-"

The ship tilted suddenly, and I gasped as I lost my footing. My body stumbled back and I hit the rail rather hard. Zuko had gasped too and clutched his rail for dear life. The ship was turning direction, and as it tilted more I felt my body press harder to the rail. The water below looked intimidating, and I feared I'd fall overboard.

"What?! Crystal?!"

I shut my eyes not wanting to fall in the water. My hands started to slip as the ship finished its turn, and I felt my body lift as I almost dropped over the rail. Then something strong grabbed me around the waist, and I was jerked to a very strong body.

The ship started to even out, and the rail's pressure on my body let up some. At some point during the ships sudden turn I'd fallen to my knees. My savior was on his knees as well, and he breathed heavily as he continued to hold me close. My body shook and I clutched onto my saviors shirt with tight fists.

Zuko muttered in my ear, slightly irritated. "What the Agni was that..? Are they trying to capsize the boat?"

Looking up at Zuko, I saw his eyes were shut as he caught his breath. My gaze looked over his face, which was extremely close to my own. I could feel his breath blow on my skin each time he exhaled. It still smelled like mint-tea.

"Um… Thanks," I said softly.

The young prince holding me calmed his breathing and looked down at me with question. Then realization struck him, his cheeks reddened, and he quickly let me go. Standing swiftly, he stepped back to give us some distance. I shakily got back to my feet and wiped sweat off my brow with the back of my hand.

"Uh… You're welcome," Zuko muttered. His eyes stayed on me, and I could tell he was puzzled to see I wasn't trying to kill him. He kept cautious though, ready to block me if I for some reason did lash at him. "I'm guessing you're the one who's been following me then?"

I winced at his realization. "Yeah… I wanted to talk to you."

He looked around deck and then spotted what he was searching for. A guard walked by, a bit dazed himself by the sudden turn of the ship. "Hey!" The man stopped and looked over at Zuko with question. "Go to the helm and question why we changed course! Report back to me when you find the answer!" The guard bowed and took off to do just that.

As the guard disappeared, I realized there was no turning back. Zuko shot his gaze toward me again, only this time he looked at the bandages still wrapped around my injuries. Placing my hands behind my back self-consciously, I dropped my gaze with uncertainty.

"Sorry…" Zuko said. He dropped his gaze again. "You were saying?"

Well, here we go…

Opening my mouth, I went to say something but different words came out. "You can have your room back."

Silence fell between the both of us. I mentally kicked myself. _You follow him all day and that's the first thing you say! Idiot!_

"Oh… uh… That's okay. I thought I'd give you some space," he muttered. "I don't mind being down the hall for a little while longer."

More silence fell between us. I swallowed and rubbed the back of my neck. "Oh… Okay…"

My knees shook and I felt my mouth go dry. What was I doing? I shouldn't be talking to Zuko… He was probably still mad at me. I couldn't believe everything Iroh said… right?

"Is that all you needed to tell me?"

Swallowing again, I shook my head. "No…" Taking in a deep breath, I met Zuko's eyes once more. "That wasn't it… I've been trying to find the words to say all day long, but I just end up saying gibberish." I rubbed my arm to try and calm my nerves.

"You don't have to worry… I won't get mad at you again," Zuko promised. The sincerity in his voice was enough to ease my anxiety. "You can talk to me."

Nodding, I finally spoke. "Okay… I'm just going to get this off my chest then… I'm still not entirely over the whole restraint and cell thing, but I don't hate you." His eyes widened. "I know it was partially my fault anyway. I was digging my own grave when I attacked you; it wasn't just you who lost your temper that day… You had a right to defend yourself, and you did give me multiple opportunities to take the easy way out… However, you need to be aware that these kids you're chasing aren't just kids to me, Zuko." My eyes started to water. "They're my family. I'll protect my family even if it means defying my captor."

Zuko stared at me for a moment, searching for the words to say. Then he nodded. He actually nodded in understanding, which threw me completely off. "I understand… but you should also understand that anyone who gets in my way of the Avatar won't be on my good side."

I frowned. "Then I'll have to be on your bad side a lot."

These words made him cringe.

Sighing heavily, I spoke again. "Look… I'm not entirely over what happened the other day. But… your Uncle spoke to me and I understand now." Looking out toward the horizon, I continued. "I know why you're after Aang, and I also understand why you took me as your prisoner. Is it worth it though?" I shot him burning curiosity. "Is all of this chasing and fighting really worth trying to win back honor from a man who wants nothing to do with you? You have your whole life ahead of you Zuko… You have a chance to be free… why do you want to return so terribly to a life that brings you only pain?"

He fell quiet as he searched for answers that even he didn't know. "Because… It's the only life I know… It's the only life I want."

"I don't believe that," I responded.

He crossed his arms, muttering, "It's the truth."

"No… It's just what _you_ tell yourself. You tell yourself that returning to the Fire Nation and earning back your father's blessing for the throne is all you want, but I know differently. Inside Zuko, you're just a young man who wants a home and family. You won't find that there."

"And how would you know?"

"Because… Family forgives and loves unconditionally. If the Fire Lord really loved you, he would've accepted you back years ago."

Zuko scowled, and tightened his fists. However, he didn't firebend or yell at me. He just stood there in silent conflict. "What would you know about family?"

"I know enough," I insisted. "My mother died, and my father left us, but my family stood by my side during our trying moments. My brother Sokka comforted me when I cried, and my sister Katara made me laugh when I needed a cheer up. My Gran-Gran would reassure me that everything would be okay, and hug me close to prove her love. Even after so much suffering, anger, heartbreak, and fear, my family and I have stuck together through it all. That's family… no matter what happens, we always love one another and care for each other."

When I finished, I could tell immediately that Zuko was greatly afflicted by my emotional rant. He hung his head heavily, shutting his eyes to hold in tears.

"I had that once," he said softly. "When my mom was alive… Now, I just have Uncle."

"Then what's wrong with just being happy with Iroh? Isn't that enough?"

He stubbornly shook his head. "No… It's not. A girl like you would never understand."

"Then help me understand," I begged.

His gold eyes suddenly burned into my own. There was nothing but pain etched across his expression. "Why? After everything I've done to you, why do you care so much about how I feel?"

His question left me tongue-tied for a moment. I had to search for an answer, and when I did, I closed my eyes. "Because… You and I are more similar than we think."

The both of us fell into a pregnant pause after I spoke. I kept my head down not wanting to see Zuko's expression.

"You know about my scar then…? How I got it…"

Nodding, I still refused to meet his eyes.

"I guess I'm not surprised Uncle told you… He said he would, and I didn't really take him seriously."

"He said I needed to hear it…"

Zuko fell quiet again. Then he took in a heavy breath. "I guess it's okay… It's better than having to tell you myself."

Sighing heavily, I ran a hand through my hair. The movement of my wrist made me wince though, and I dropped my hand again.

Zuko noticed and gently grabbed my lower arm, pulling my hand toward him. "Does it still hurt that much?"

His question took me off guard. I blushed and shrugged. "It's blistered up some… I'll be fine. I've been through worse." I looked at his face then, and couldn't help but stare at his left eye.

"Come on," he suddenly said. He started to pull me away from the rail.

"What…? Where are we going?"

He kept walking, leading us back to the door that led below deck. "To the ship physician. It could be infected."

I blushed heavily at his hold on my arm. Zuko was worried about me.

He really did have a heart…

 **Zuko POV**

"A break! That's why we turned course so roughly?! So you can walk on land and take a break!"

My fists were clenched tight as I glared daggers at my Uncle. He sipped his tea nonchalantly as he sat in the helm. "That… and I hear there's a _wonderful_ hot spring at this stretch of the land. I could use some relaxation."

I scowled. Stomping over to him, I saw the other men in the helm try to ignore the two of us to their best effort.

"Do you realize how dangerous that turn was?! We both almost fell overboard! If I hadn't been near Crystal, we'd be searching for a body in the water right now!"

Uncle cringed slightly. "Yes… I saw that. We were lucky you grabbed her when you did." I scowled. "On the plus side, it looks like you two sorted some things out!" He smiled widely. "See! I told you she wouldn't hate you!"

My scowl turned into irritation. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I breathed heavily. "Why did you tell her all of that? That was my story…"

Uncle lowered his cup. "Would you have told her? This makes things better. Now she has a look inside your head."

"I don't need her to look in my head!"

"Where is our friend Crystal, by the way?"

I went to snap at Uncle again, but then stopped. With a heavy sigh, I tried to calm down. "She's getting fresh bandages. Her wrists were infected so I took her to the ship physician. He was mending her up when I came over here."

Uncle grinned. "So I was right… You do care about her."

Narrowing my eyes, I crossed my arms and turned sharply on my heel. "We're not staying on land forever! Three hours tops! We have to stay on the Avatar's course!"

Leaving the room, I headed out of the helm and back below deck. Walking down the hall, I reached the same door I had walked out of about ten minutes ago. Going to open the door, I heard laughter and stopped. Pressing my ear to the door crack, I could hear the physician and Crystal having a full blown conversation.

"That sounds pretty painful," Crystal spoke up.

"I know… It took three men to pry the needle from my thumb. Took another two to stitch me up."

There was more laughter from her. I was surprised at her lighthearted mood.

"That's pretty ironic. Tell me the ones who stitched you up were physicians at least?"

The physician let out a bellow of chuckles. "Nope… Just a couple of rookie soldiers with shaky hands."

Opening the door finally, I entered to see Crystal was seated on the wooden table bolted to the floor. Her feet swung carelessly back and forth, and I saw her freshly bandaged hands were resting in her lap. She was smiling at the fifty year old man who was holding up his thumb to emphasize whatever crazy story he was telling. When I entered, her eyes shot toward me with surprise. Then she slid off the table and walked over to me.

"Did your uncle tell you why he almost killed us?"

I rolled my eyes. "He said something about a hot spring and wanting to walk on land. In other words, he's just wasting our time."

She smiled. "He's an interesting man."

"Don't remind me… Come on. I'll walk you back on deck. We should be dropping anchor in an hour."

She nodded. She turned back to the physician and gave a polite bow. "Thank you! I loved chatting with you!"

He nodded. "You as well miss. Visit anytime you like."

Letting out a sigh, I grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room. She stumbled but managed to match my pace. As we headed down the hall back toward deck, I asked her if her wrists were feeling better. Her cheeks turned red and I saw her slightly nod. Her eyes darted to my hand holding onto the area below her elbow. Embarrassed, I jerked my hand away in a fist and pressed it firmly to the side of my body.

What was happening to me? Why did this girl fluster me all the time?

Shutting my eyes, I felt my heart pound heavily.

 **Crystal POV**

Skipping beside Zuko, I looked at the trees around me with amazement. "They're all so tall! How tall do you think they are?"

He shrugged. "I don't know… fifty… sixty… beats me. Why does it matter? They're just trees."

I pouted. Of course they were just trees to Zuko. To me though, they were strange and new. At the South Pole all of our trees were pine and covered in snow. The trees around us were made of more colors than I could name. Everything was a first for me.

An hour ago we anchored off shore and the ramp was dropped so we could walk onto the land. While Iroh walked off to do whatever he had planned, and other members of the crew ran off to go explore a nearby port, Zuko offered to go on a walk with me. We walked through the forest at first in silence, but then I finally started to converse.

"Are there a lot of trees in the Fire Nation?"

Zuko shrugged. "Depends on where you search. The Fire Nation has a variety of landscapes."

Looking up at the sky through the tree tops, I watched as a few leaves fell down toward us. Birds flew up above from one tree to another. Everything around us was beautiful and peaceful. "I envy this warmth. The South Pole is freezing compared to this air."

"Why didn't you ever leave?" His question made me falter in my step. "If it's so cold, why don't you and your people head into the Earth Kingdom?"

His pondering sent a pang to my heart. Hanging my head, I kicked at a few rocks on the ground. "And go where…? The South Pole is our home. It's all my people know. It's where our ancestors lived and died. Anyone even mentioning leaving would be highly rebuked by the people of our tribe. My mom had brought it up once, and my grandma quickly shut her down. Leaving the South Pole and abandoning our land is completely unheard of."

Zuko soaked in my words. "You keep bringing up your mom… Were you close to her?"

I grimaced, my hand pressing to my cheekbone where my scar was. My eyes started to water. "Yeah… She was my best friend."

The prince seemed to want to pry. "What happened to her?"

My teeth clenched as I tried not to remember that fateful day. "She died… That's all you need to know."

He seemed like he wanted to question me some more, but he only sighed heavily and looked back at the forest in front of us. The mood grew glum and I wondered if I should say something.

He beat me to the punch.

"So… If you've never seen trees like this, I guess you've never seen wildflowers."

"Huh?" I looked at him in bewilderment.

He took my hand and led me over to a spot of grass between two trees. My eyes widened at what I saw. A variety of flowers were grouped together, their petals looking soft and smooth. There was a mixture of blue, gold, purple, and white. My eyes were mesmerized at the beautiful scene before me.

"Beautiful," I whispered.

Zuko crouched down and picked a flower from the dirt. He turned back to me and held it up by the stem between his thumb and finger. "It's a Peony. My mom used to grow them in her garden."

I blushed staring at the red Peony he held in his hand. He extended it toward me, as if he were giving me a gift.

 _"Gran-Gran! How did mommy and daddy end up together?"_

 _Kanna sat on a log mending the fire before her. She gave me a wrinkly smile. "Your father had been trying to earn Kya's love for years. Then during one of his outings to the Earth Nation, he found a beautiful present that would symbolize his love toward her. When he returned to the South Pole, Hakoda presented Kya with a beautiful white rose. Of course it wilted from the cold a few days later, but your mother treasured it. Your father's persistence and heartfelt gift won your mothers heart and her love."_

 _I beamed. "I hope one day a boy will give me a flower!"_

 _Gran-Gran chuckled. "You're still too young to worry about that right now, dear. Besides… Flowers aren't the only things that reveal love; it's how a man treats you as well. Don't forget that."_

 _I nodded to let her know I wouldn't._

My hand reached for the flower, my cheeks burning as my blood pounded in my ears. As my fingers brushed against his own to take the flower, I saw him look away with his own cheeks flushed.

"Thank you," I began. Taking the flower, I pressed it to my nose and smelled the sweet scent. "It's-"

A sneeze escaped me, and I yanked the flower from my nose. Another sneeze, and I felt my eyes start to water. What in the world?

Sneeze. Sneeze. Cough.

Zuko ripped the flower from me. "You should've told me you were allergic!"

I sneezed again.

"Well how-"

Sneeze.

"Was I supposed-"

Sneeze.

"To know?!"

I sneezed again and backed away from the flower. The whole time I sneezed, Zuko watched me with both amazement and concern in his eyes. I went to rub my eyes, but Zuko rushed forward and grabbed my hand to stop me. He'd dropped the flower as he did so. "Wait. We need to rinse your hand off. Touching your eyes will only make them itch."

He pulled me away from the flowers. "How-" Sneeze. "Do you know so much-" Sneeze. "About this stuff?"

He kept pulling me along. "My little sister has horrible reactions to Fire Lilies. The palace physician would have to treat her all the time. Is your throat hurting?"

I shook my head. He sighed with relief.

A moment later we arrived at a small stream. I was still sneezing and quickly picked up some water to wipe off whatever the Peony had left on me. Then I washed my face which quickly calmed my reaction. When I was done, I stared down at the water in embarrassment and guilt: Zuko had tried to give me something, and I couldn't accept it.

Zuko knelt beside me, having washed his own hands so he didn't get the plants chemical on me again. He looked over at me in question, when he saw the frown that formed on my face. "What?"

I hung my head. "I'm sorry… I couldn't accept your gift."

For a moment Zuko was silent. Then he said, "It was just a weed." He stood. "Besides, flowers end up dying after a while anyway. I'd hate to receive a gift that doesn't last forever."

I stood too, staring at my feet. "Well… That was embarrassing."

A small chuckle escaped the young man beside me. I looked over at him with question. He covered his mouth in surprise. Then he took his hand away and I saw he was smiling ever so slightly. "I thought it was pretty entertaining. You have a baby sneeze."

"What?" I went to retaliate, but quickly stopped. Zuko had dropped his smile, and an expression I couldn't register suddenly came on his face.

He stepped forward and reached his hand toward me. Gently, he pushed my hair back from my face. As his skin touched my own, I felt my breathing hitch. His touch was like fire as it sent my blood pounding through me. Electric shocks flowed from his finger through my spine. He stared at me with a puzzled and curious expression. His eyebrows furrowed in uncertainty.

"What are you doing to me?" He suddenly asked. "I've never felt this way before."

His question and words took me off guard. Before I could sputter out an answer though, he ripped his hand away and shoved it back to his side. My cheek still tingled from where his skin had made contact. His cheeks were more flushed than I'd ever seen them before.

"Come on." He turned from me swiftly. "We need to go find Uncle and get him back to the ship."

As Zuko walked away, I watched him go with bewilderment.

 _What are you doing to me…? I've never felt this way before..._

I pressed my hand to the strand of hair he'd pushed back.

I felt exactly the same.

After walking for almost another hour, and Zuko shouting for his uncle, we found what we were looking for. A bundle of craters indented in the earth had water in them that appeared to be steaming. In the center crater was Iroh, his upper half revealed above the water and his eyes closed. He was shirtless, and I hoped that's all he was.

Zuko stepped forward to confront his relaxed uncle. "Uncle? We need to move on, we're closing in on the Avatar's trail and I don't want to lose him!"

Iroh ignored his nephew, his eyes still closed as he leaned farther back against the crater wall behind him. "You look tired, Prince Zuko. Why don't you join me in these hot springs and soak away your troubles."

Zuko gritted his teeth. "My troubles cannot be soaked away. It's time to go!"

"You should take your teacher's advice and relax a little. The temperature's just right. I heated it myself."

The young prince pinched the bridge of his nose trying not to yell at the man. "Enough! We need to leave now! Get out of the water!"

Iroh sighed. "Very well."

My vision was suddenly blocked by Zuko's hand. I jumped slightly as dark consumed my vision. I could only assume Zuko was blocking me from a sight I had no desire to see.

"On second thought… why don't you take another few minutes, but be back at the ship in half an hour or I'm leaving without you!"

Zuko still kept his hand over my eyes and grabbed my arm to lead me away. When we were a safe distance, Zuko sighed heavily and dropped his hand returning my sight.

"That man is crazy!"

I giggled. "At least he's having fun though."

Eventually we returned to the ship, but didn't go inside it. We waited for Iroh to arrive, and Zuko paced back and forth with irritation. Half an hour passed, and still there was no sign of Zuko's uncle. We waited another thirty minutes, and still there was no sign. The crew had returned by this point, so it seemed the only person missing was Iroh.

"Where is he?!" Zuko stomped back and forth getting even more frustrated. "That man never listens to me!"

One of Zuko's soldiers, who happened to be waiting on shore with us, said, "Should we go retrieve him?"

He stopped in his pace, rubbed his face, and then took in a deep breath. "Gather a few more men. We may have to branch out and search." The soldier bowed and headed over to a group of men who were just making idle chitchat. He spoke to them and they quickly followed him back over to us.

We ended up heading through the forest again. Zuko had debated sending me back to the ship, but he decided he didn't want to risk giving me an opportunity to run. We eventually returned to the hot springs where we'd left his uncle originally. When we got there, the area was silent and vacant.

"Uncle! Uncle, where are you?" Zuko stepped near the hot springs, and I could see he was starting to get worried. My eyes shot to the crater his uncle had been in. There were stones jutting upward as if to restrain someone.

The soldier who offered to help earlier stepped forward. "Sir, maybe he thought you left without him?"

Zuko shook his head. "Something's not right here."

"I'm with you on that," I said, pointing at the rocks. "I don't think Iroh's at fault for being late."

Zuko stepped over to the crater realizing what I was saying. "That pile of rocks…"

The soldier stepped over to investigate too. "It looks like there's been a landslide, sir."

It was my turn to speak. "I don't think so… Look at how the rocks are. They look uphill, not down."

"Your right… Land doesn't slide uphill. Those rocks didn't move naturally." Zuko thought about it for a moment, and then his face paled. "My uncle's been captured by earthbenders!"

His words stumped me. Earthbenders? I'd never met any before, but from the way Zuko said it I assumed they weren't friendly toward the Fire Nation.

"Soldier! Return to the ship and bring out our fastest rhinos. We're getting my uncle back."

The soldier quickly did as he was told, a few of the other men following behind. There were two soldiers that stayed back with us to give us protection. I had a feeling Zuko could protect himself. As we waited anxiously for the men and rhinos, I asked Zuko what earthbenders were like. He explained that they were relentless and brutal. They would do whatever it takes to keep their nation safe. That's why the Fire Nation was having so much trouble conquering them.

"So earthbenders are pretty powerful then?"

"Yeah… If you're not a great fighter they can drag you underground without any trouble," he muttered.

"Do- do you think they did that to Iroh?"

He shook his head. "No… They probably recognized him as soon as they saw him. I'm sure Uncle's on his way to a very secure prison right now. They most likely want to use him to get to my father probably."

"Like a hostage situation?"

"Yeah."

I frowned. My fists clenched at the thought of Iroh being in danger. Iroh was the one man on the ship that I found comfort speaking to. He was like an uncle to me as well. He cared about me.

A few minutes later we heard a very loud grunt. My eyes widened and I turned my head sharply at the owner. Three rhinos emerged from the shadow of the forest. They were the largest beasts I'd laid eyes on apart from Appa. Their hide was black and smooth, and their horns looked like they could pierce through anything.

"Wow… I know what Rhinos are now."

The soldiers looked over at me in surprise. Zuko seemed amused.

"Is everything going to be a first for you?"

I stared down at my feet with a small smile. "Probably."

"Alright... Let's move out. We need to catch up to my uncle's captors." He moved over to a rhino and pulled himself up on the saddle.

"Sir..." A soldier began. "What about the girl? Bringing her along may not be best."

I pouted. "Hey! I'll stay out of the way."

Zuko stared at me for a moment in contemplation. Then he let out a heavy sigh. Glancing at the man who asked, Zuko said, "It's fine. She can ride with me. We don't have time to get her back to the ship."

At his words, I stared at the massive beast with terror. It was much taller than myself and looked deadly.

"Uh... On second thought I probably will just get in the way."

Zuko seemed amused. He gestured for the soldier nearest to me to grab me. The man grabbed me not too roughly and managed to hoist me up toward Zuko. Zuko quickly took my arm and pulled me up. The next thing I knew, I was behind Zuko on a giant rhino holding around his waist for dear life.

We moved quickly through the forest, eventually leaving it and arriving at some small mountains. I wasn't really sure how Zuko knew which direction to start looking. He just kept his eyes straight on the path and his hands tight on the rhino's rein. I wondered if he was fully following his instinct; if so, I hoped his instincts were better than Sokka's.

Eventually, Zuko stopped the rhino and told me to hold onto the saddle. I did and watched him slide off. Wait… What?! He was leaving me on this thing? My fingers clutched around the edges of the saddle for dear life.

"Is it his sir?"

Looking down at the soldier's question, I saw Zuko held in his hand a sandal. He grimaced as he held it in his hand. "Yup, that's Uncle Iroh." He tossed the sandal to the soldier who asked. The soldier gagged at the smell tossing it quickly in a bag connected to the saddle.

"Is your uncle leaving us bread crumbs?"

Zuko returned to the rhino and hoisted himself back in front of me. When he was resituated, he answered, "Yep… He's definitely a wise old man."

We continued forward again, heading farther around the side of the mountain. While we headed deeper into Earth Nation territory, I could tell some of the guards were getting quite anxious. I assumed the Earth Nation was definitely strong when it came to fighting against the Fire Nation.

"The Avatar!"

Zuko suddenly jerked his rhino to a halt. The jerky movement sent me bumping forward into him. I pulled away a second later, slightly dazed, and looked up at the sky. Sure enough, Appa flew very high above.

"Sir…" A soldier began. "What do you want to do?"

The prince took a moment, let out a heavy sigh, and moved his rhino forward away from Appa. "Let's go. There's no telling what that man's getting himself into."

As Zuko led the rhino away from Appa farther around the mountain, I watched the giant furry beast fly further and then disappear from my sight.

Appa… Sokka… Katara… Aang…

I sighed heavily. My arms had stayed wrapped around Zuko's waist, and I rested my head on his upper back trying to hide my worry. I missed them, and was glad to see they were okay. Unless Appa was alone, and they weren't okay…? No! I quickly shook that from my mind. They were fine… Aang would protect them no matter what.

We carried on a little longer, and I began to think the earthbenders were too fast for us. However, we eventually reached a wooden wagon with two strange animals at the front. They had two thin legs, some wings, and a furry head. I'd have to ask Zuko about them later.

Zuko suddenly slid off the rhino, and rushed over to the wagon. He looked around for its owners. Then he rushed to the mountain edge and looked down. His eyes widened. "Uncle!" He turned to the rest of us, shooting orders to his men. "Keep an eye on the girl! I'll handle this!" He suddenly dropped down a steep slope, and I watched him disappear with terror.

Somehow, I managed to maneuver my body off of the rhino and drop myself to the ground. The soldiers were talking to each other behind me, so they really didn't pay any mind to me. Heading over to the spot Zuko had slid down, I saw the slope was steep at first but seemed to even out at the bottom. Then I noticed at the bottom of the slope, Iroh's hands were about to be crushed by a hovering giant boulder. Just as it started to drop, Zuko arrived and jumped at the rock kicking it hard. It fell out of the earthbenders reach crashing to the ground. Then Zuko swung his leg down at Iroh smashing his heel into the chains restraining the old man's wrists. The earthbenders had backed off, but looked ready to fight.

"Excellent form, Prince Zuko," Iroh praised, standing up. He wore a tied towel around his waist. I assumed it was because he was in his birthday suit.

"You taught me well," Zuko commented.

As this all occurred, I started to slide down the steep slope to help. My body moved swiftly and skillfully. I'd gone down glaciers much steeper and slicker.

As I headed down I heard one of the earthbenders say, "Surrender yourselves, it's five against two. You're clearly outnumbered."

Reaching the bottom of the incline, I heard Iroh say, "Uh, that's true, but you are clearly outmatched!"

The men around us had flasks on their sides that I knew had water in them. As Zuko and Iroh prepared to attack, I yanked my hands back jerking water from two of the flasks. The water rushed through the air toward me, while the men who previously had the liquid followed its floating trail with surprise. When they saw the water coming toward me, I could tell they didn't know what to think.

"Hey! You're a waterbender?!"

The earthbender who shouted at me turned to attack. He could see I wasn't fighting on his side.

"Crystal!" Zuko looked over at me with horror. "What are you doing?!"

I ignored him and shot a harsh blast of water at the man who had spoken to me. He fell back and hit the dirt hard and in a daze. While he was down, I froze his hands to his body and then his body to the dirt. As I did so the other earthbenders started to attack. Zuko and Iroh went straight into action. Iroh still had chains on his wrists, and used the long links to his advantage. He hit two of the men, while Zuko attacked another. Fire started to blast through the air, and I backed up quickly to avoid Zuko's strikes.

Just as the battle started, it suddenly came to an end. All of the earthbenders around us were either unconscious or pinned to the dirt by ice. I hadn't done much, but what I did was enough to make me wonder why I did it.

"Well done you two!" Iroh exclaimed. "That was excellent fighting."

Zuko ignored Iroh and stomped over to me. "What are you doing down here? The soldiers were supposed to keep an eye on you."

Shrugging, I answered, "Your men seemed busy. I thought I'd help you out."

He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I can't believe this… I tell them to do one thing…" He crossed his arms and let out a hard sigh. "It can't be helped I guess. What's done is done." He turned to Iroh then. "Now would you please put on some clothes?!"

Iroh nodded, and then turned to head back up the steep hill. Zuko covered my eyes again as the man got higher, protecting me from a sight none of us wanted to see.


	10. Streaming Heart

"Captain! Set a course west! The Avatar is headed into the Fire Nation!"

Currently I was playing Pai Sho with Iroh and being pounded. It was the morning after we rescued Iroh from his kidnapping. Zuko had disappeared overnight, which I knew because we were sharing the cabin again. In the morning, Zuko was still gone and I quickly went to inform Iroh down the hall. He told me not to concern myself too much.

 _"Zuko's always disappearing. He'll turn up eventually."_

To get my mind off of Zuko's absence, Iroh challenged me to Pai Sho which I begrudgingly accepted. I already knew I would lose, and sure enough Iroh was in the lead. Just as I went to place down a tile, the door to the helm we sat in swung open. Zuko rushed into the room shouting out his orders. When Iroh heard, the old man jumped up faster than I'd ever seen.

"The Fire Nation! Prince Zuko! I really must protest! You are banished! If they catch yo-"

"They won't," Zuko defended, looking at his uncle believing his own words. "The Avatar is so close! I can't lose this opportunity!"

I was worried by this news. I just had to ask. "Why is he headed into the Fire Nation? What could he possibly want that he would risk capture?"

Zuko surprisingly answered me. "I questioned a man at the nearby village. It seems the Avatar is headed to Roku's temple to try and contact his past life."

My eyes widened. His past life… Could the Avatar really do something like that? And if so, why would Aang need to speak to his past life? What's going on?

Zuko turned back to the captain. "How long will it take to reach Roku's temple?"

"About six hours sir," the man stated. He had already started to change some gears and turn the wheel. "That's if we give it all we've got."

"Then give it everything. I will not lose my chance!" Zuko turned back toward me. "In three hours you will return to your room. I can't have you trying to escape or fight me again."

I sighed heavily. Crossing my arms, I hung my head in dismay. "Fine…"

He was surprised by my obedience. He shot me a puzzled expression, but didn't ask. He left us then to go prepare for his quest. Once he was gone, I returned to the Pai Sho board thinking about my next strategy.

Three hours later I found myself returning to my room as Zuko had ordered. I didn't want to be locked in my room for the rest of the day, but I knew arguing with Zuko would do no good. I was tired of fighting with him, and honestly I didn't want to walk around freely in the Fire Nation. I did long to see my family again, but I knew they would escape and be perfectly safe. As long as they weren't under Zuko's captivity, I was happy for them. One day I would see them again, but today just wasn't that day.

When I stepped into the room, I wasn't surprised to see Zuko was already there dressed up in his heavy armor. He wore the armor whenever he planned on chasing after Aang. I preferred his casual attire, but I didn't comment.

Walking past Zuko, I plopped down on my cot and kicked off my shoes. The whole time Zuko watched me with burning question. Sitting cross legged, I stared at my hands wishing that he would stop looking at me with his pondering gold eyes.

"Why aren't you fighting me?"

His sudden question took me off guard.

"Do you want me to?"

Zuko stared at me for a few more seconds. "No… It's just strange. I thought you'd argue again, but you're actually behaving."

"I'd rather be locked up willingly than thrown in a cell again. Besides, I have no desire to be out and about walking freely when we're in Fire Nation territory. I still think my family and the avatar are crazy for attempting whatever they're trying to do."

He went to say something else, but then he stopped and sighed heavily. "You're strange," he muttered. Turning, he walked across the room over to the table against the wall. He picked up something and walked back over to me.

"Here… I found some books you can look at while you're stuck in here. They look like they describe plants and animals and stuff. I know you're always asking me about things, so maybe you can learn some stuff on your own."

I stared at the three books he held out toward me in amazement. Taking them from his hands, I said with a grateful smile, "Thank you."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "No big deal… I got them from Uncle's stash. There's more where they came from." He walked over to the chain in the room while I inspected the books. I knew how to read, but I wasn't great at it. At the South Pole my father and mother tried to teach us what they knew. We learned to write on some parchments and read from some scrolls. Sokka and Katara had both learned much faster than me. Opening to the first page, I already struggled with the words.

Zuko chained me up, and then made his way to the door. As he went to leave, he turned back toward me. "Uncle said he'd check on you soon."

Meeting his gaze, I asked softly, "You won't hurt them will you?"

He took a moment to sink in my question. Finally, he looked away crossing his arms. "No… My only mission is to capture the Avatar. He's the only one I want."

I grimaced. "I wasn't just talking about my family."

He frowned. "I'll do whatever it takes to capture the Avatar."

He turned on his heel and left the room. I watched him go with agony. Would he really hurt a kid for his honor?

With a heavy sigh, I picked up the book again and lied back trying to distract my worries. The book was about plants, and there was a number of drawings that helped me get through the words I couldn't read. Before I realized it, I was so engrossed in the book that time seemed to fly by. At some point during my reading, I felt the ship speed up and wondered what was happening. Then the ship started to jerk violently telling me we were definitely under attack.

Standing up quickly, I rushed across the cabin and pressed my ear to the wall. Shutting my eyes, I tried to listen to the world outside. Shouts could be heard, a loud smash, and the ship creaked as it was hit. The jerk of the ship forced me away from the wall and onto my butt. What was happening? Was it my family and Aang? I hated being downstairs and unable to see anything. I was worried about my family. I was worried about Aang. I was worried about Zuko.

At the last thought, my eyes widened and my face burned.

Zuko…Why was I worried about Zuko?

It seemed the ship shook violently for another hour, until finally it was still. The fight was over, and with it only brought me more anxiety. Pacing back and forth frantically, I wondered if my family and Aang were captured. Please don't be captured! I couldn't imagine what would happen if Aang was actually imprisoned by the Fire Nation. I did know one thing though: we would all be doomed.

A knock on the door suddenly sounded. "Crystal. It's Iroh. I'm coming in." A second later Iroh walked into the room. His face showed concern and I could see he wasn't thrilled with everything that had transpired above.

I had to ask. "What happened?"

The old man sighed, walking over to me and sitting cross-legged on the floor. "Zuko foolishly tried to shoot your family and the Avatar out of the sky." My eyes widened. "Of course he missed them!" Iroh quickly said, trying to calm my worries. "They're fine the last we saw them. We managed to get into the Fire Nation without being stopped, and Zuko has taken his personal steamboat to go to Roku's temple on his own." He rubbed his face looking exhausted. "However, I fear Commander Zhao may be following him."

My heart skipped a beat. Zhao… If he got a hold of Aang and my family… well I feared the worse.

Iroh noted my worry. "Crystal… I'm sure they'll all be fine." He looked at the books scattered on my cot. "Ah. I see why Zuko took the books now. Have you learned anything exciting?"

He was trying to distract my worries. I took in a deep breath trying to calm down. Picking up a book about animals, I blushed. "Yeah… It's difficult to read some of the passages, but I'm getting through."

Iroh gestured for me to come sit near him. I did so, trying not to get tangled in the chain attached to me. "What are you struggling with?"

Handing over the book, I hung my head in disappointment. "A lot of it. The small words are easy, but the big words look like scribbles."

"Did you learn how to read on your own?"

I shook my head. "No… My mom and dad taught me what they knew. My mom wasn't as literate as my father though. When we were younger dad taught us the best he could, but after my mom died he stopped to focus on the war. Sokka learned quickly and continued to teach us, but I couldn't get a grasp on it like my sister was able to."

Iroh nodded. "Well… I taught my son Lu Ten how to read. I'd be happy to help you out."

He turned to a page in the book and handed it back toward me.

I took it with surprise.

"Of course, that's only if you want me to," Iroh assured.

I smiled, grateful for his kindness. "Yeah… I'd like that."

"Great… Then why don't you read me what you know, and when you hit a word you don't know I'll help you out."

I nodded. Staring down at the page, I started to read enjoying Iroh's kindness and his distraction.

 **Zuko POV**

I growled as I fought against the chains I was currently restrained in. Zhao and his men stood at the temples inner chamber doorway, waiting for the Avatar to come out. Waiting to take what rightfully belonged to me. I growled again. I almost had him! I almost had that brat! I would've had him if I had a tighter grip, and those Water Tribe brats hadn't encouraged him to go in.

My eyes shot over to the two kids who were chained to the pillar across from me. I'd chained them there, and I sort of regretted it since Zhao had arrived. There was no telling what the man would do with two poor kids from the Southern Water Tribe.

The boy looked over at me with blue eyes a little darker than his sisters. He glared daggers. "Hope you're happy with the mess you got us both in!" I looked him over seeing some similar features between him and Crystal. They had the same nose, and their eyes were shaped the same. However, apart from that there wasn't much similarity for them being twins. Her sister had the same nose too, and I could tell that she and Crystal had a similar build but that was about it. "Hey! Are you even listening to me?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I didn't get us in this mess, peasant! It's your fault for flying into Fire Nation territory!" The boy (Sokka I think) was close to my age, so it was strange talking to a guy that wasn't my senior. He was the same height as me, but not as physically built. "Next time you want to be captured by the enemy, why don't you just walk straight to the Fire Lord himself!"

Sokka scowled. "Shut up you spoiled stuck-up prince of shi-"

"Sokka!" The girl finally spoke up. "Knock it off! Have you forgotten he has Crystal? If you anger him he might hurt her."

The girl… Katara if I recall correctly… She must be worried sick about her sister.

Sokka fell silent, and I saw his eyes only burn more with hatred. "What have you done to her?"

I scowled. "I haven't done anything to her. She's doing fine."

"You've had her in a cell for two months! I doubt she's okay," Sokka snapped.

I went to snap back, but then I stopped. Sighing heavily, I leaned back against the pillar and stared up at the ceiling. "She isn't in a cell."

The two water tribe kids fell silent at my words. After a moment, the girl Katara spoke up again. "Is she okay? Your soldier hit her hard when we escaped back at the South Pole."

Nodding, I looked over at Zhao and his men again. Zhao was pacing impatiently. "She's fine… I'm not the monster you all think I am."

Sokka gritted his teeth. "You're Fire Nation! You will never be anything but a monster! If you hurt Crys, I swear I'll kill you!"

"Sokka! Stop it!" Katara snapped. "Yelling isn't making this situation any better."

He went to retaliate, but then let out a heavy breath. "Yeah… You're right." He kept his gaze on me. "You can't keep her forever. We _will_ get our sister back."

I scoffed. "Right… You three have done so well so far."

He growled, struggling in his restraints. "You could release her! She isn't of any worth to you!"

His last statement sent me into silent thoughts. _She isn't worth anything to you…_ I'd been trying to tell myself that for weeks. However, the statement was a lie. Crystal was worth something to me… I just wasn't sure what it happened to be. Sokka noticed my silence and shot me a surprised look. His sister did as well.

Katara spoke up again. "What is she to you?"

"My prisoner," I muttered. "That's all."

Sokka narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Before he could question any further, Zhao began to shout. The Avatar was coming back out, and I tried to return focus to the shut door. I had to escape and get back to my boat. If I didn't, Zhao would imprison me and take me to my father. Without the Avatar or the waterbender, I would be severely punished for breaking my banishment.

 **Crystal POV**

"A-Agr-grimony is most used in mo-modern her- herbal practice as a mild astir- astringent and a ton-is."

Iroh nodded in approval as he read over my shoulder. "Everything was pretty good. Just remember that 'I C' makes an 'ick' sound. So that last word would be 'tonic'. Other than that, I think we've made great progress today. Why don't you take a break while I grab us some dinner from the kitchen?"

Iroh left to go fetch us some grub. While he was gone I stared at the books some more. My head was starting to hurt from the words I struggled to read. I wondered if Sokka had trouble with big words like me. I doubted it. Iroh and I had been trying to read for the last three hours, and so far we'd only gotten through five plants and six animals. I did learn what those winged creatures were the other day though; ostrich-horses were my new favorite animal.

With a sigh, I closed up the book and scooted back onto my cot. Lying back, I stared up at the ceiling feeling worry again.

Sokka… Katara… Aang… I hoped they were still okay and out of the Fire Nation's clutches. I wanted to be with them just so I knew they were okay. I missed them so much, but I knew there was nothing I could do to be with them. If I tried to escape, I'd just end up back in a cell with an angry prince.

Only a few minutes after Iroh left, the door to the room opened again. Looking over in question, I saw Zuko come in looking exhausted. He said nothing to me as he tore off his armor and dropped it on the floor. Walking across the room, he stopped at his wooden chest and yanked off is boots. When he was back in his casual attire, he rubbed his face with dismay.

I waited anxiously, fearful at the thought that maybe Zuko had captured my family and the Avatar. He said nothing still as he tore off his shirt and dropped it on the floor. He was shirtless and I could see red marks on his arms from what seemed to be chains. I assumed he'd been held captive by someone and managed to escape. My guess was Zhao caught up to him.

"Did you get through the books?"

I'd been staring at the marks on his arms, so when he finally spoke I jumped. Meeting his eyes, I saw he waited for me to answer. "No… Iroh's helping me. He said he'd be back so we could read some more." I ran a hand through my hair. "He's teaching me how."

Zuko nodded, walking over to his cot. He stopped though, looking back at me with question. "Teaching you?"

I blushed. "Yeah… I don't read much."

He seemed to take this in.

"Hey Zuko…" I stopped, biting my lip when I realized I might be crossing the prisoner line. I just needed to know if they were okay. "What happened? Did you capture the Avatar? Did Zhao capture him?" I felt my body shake at the thought. "Is he okay?"

He gave a nod. "Don't worry… They're all fine. They escaped from the temple and are flying back east. We're already following their path."

I sighed with relief. They were okay… They were safe… Thank goodness.

"Hey…" he suddenly spoke again. I gave him my attention. "Do you think I'm a monster?"

His question took me off guard. Where was this coming from all of the sudden? Running a hand through my hair, I said softly, "I did when I first met you… but over these last few weeks I can't anymore. You're just a normal teenage guy to me. Getting to know you has helped me see that you have a good heart."

He hung his head, taking in what I said.

That was when realization hit me. "Sokka... You spoke to Sokka, didn't you?"

He nodded. "Yeah… Your brother doesn't like me too much."

I sighed heavily. "It's not just you, Zuko. Sokka hates anyone Fire Nation. My sister does too. It's because the Fire Nation took our mother from us at a very young age. Even if the nicest Fire Nation man walked up to my brother, he would call him a monster too."

There was silence for a moment. Then he spoke again. "I don't want people to see me as a monster."

"I know… I wouldn't expect you to." I stood so I could be close to the same height as the young man with me. "Maybe if you do become Fire Lord, you can show the world you aren't a monster." I rubbed my shoulder. "You can end up helping the world instead of destroying it."

Meeting my eyes, I could see my words impacted the prince. "The Fire Nation isn't destroying the world… We're helping it."

"I know I won't be able to change your views," I softly responded. "But I can tell you my own. To the rest of the world, the Fire Nation is a plague. Harmony has been destroyed. The Fire Lord just wants power and control over everything, and he doesn't care who he hurts to get it."

"That's not true," Zuko muttered.

I frowned. I knew I couldn't argue with him. I didn't want to upset him any further.

He let out a hard sigh. "I'm going to go meditate down the hall. I'll be back soon." I nodded, having nothing else to say. He started to walk out the door, but then he stopped to speak one last time. "I just need some time to think." He left me then to go to his thoughts.

Sighing, I turned and walked back over to the cot. Plopping back on it, I sighed again and fell back looking up at the ceiling. Zuko's absence for some reason made me feel alone. My heart ached and I frowned. I'd probably gone too far, talking about his father like that. He probably hated me for what I'd just said. Why couldn't I keep my big mouth shut?

 _"I don't want people to see me as a monster…"_

I curled up into a fetal position and stared at the wall beside me. Zuko was far from a monster. He was kind and generous. Deep past his cold demeanor was an affectionate young man trying to come out. I wanted Zuko to see that side of him: the good side.

Quickly I shut my eyes, wondering why these thoughts kept flooding through me. Why did I care about Zuko's feelings? Why was I so eager for him to find the good side?

Why did he make me so confused?

 **Zuko POV**

Standing at the door to my room, I hesitated about entering. My earlier departure had been a bit immature. Instead of conversing with Crystal about my feelings, I'd stubbornly left her without another word. It seemed whenever we tried to have a meaningful talk I would always shut my mouth and walk away. I was never good with confrontations, and being with this girl reminded me of that.

It wasn't that her comments made me angry or hotheaded. In all actuality, her comments made me doubt my own father. It was awful to think that for the first time, I didn't really see my father as a man disappointed in his son. Instead, I saw him as a heartless man who couldn't care about me one bit.

 _No! My father does care! He loves me! He only wants what's best!_

With a heavy breath, I entered the room. Inside, I found it was quiet and the candles were starting to dim. The books she'd previously been reading were stacked up on the floor beside her. She was already asleep on her cot, her body beneath her blanket. She always looked so delicate when she slept. I was terrified one wrong move through the room would shatter her into a million pieces. Stepping over to her, I saw she was lying on her stomach, and her hand was sandwiched between her cheek and pillow. Her hair covered part of her face, and I knelt down beside her so I could gently brush the dark strands back. To my surprise, the corner of her lip turned up as she slept on.

Jerking my hand away, I felt my fingertips tingle from the warmth of her skin. My hand ached to brush against her once more, but I quickly resisted. Standing to my feet, I turned away from her and headed over to the few candles still burning. Blowing them out, I found my way to my cot and crawled on it. Lying back, I stared at the darkness around me. As I did, I couldn't help but recall something my mom had once said to me.

 _"One day, you'll find a girl who will completely sweep you off your feet."_

 _"Yeah right… I doubt I'll ever find a girl like that. Girls are icky anyway."_

 _My mom giggled and hugged me close to her. "Silly Zuko… When you're older you won't think that way. You'll find your special other. I once found my own, and it was the best moments of my life."_

 _"You mean you and dad?"_

 _She fell quiet for a moment. Then she hugged me tighter. "Listen closely to me son. Always follow your heart. Don't let anything tear you away from the one that you love most. You have to fight for her with everything you have, or else you'll just be a prisoner to your own sorrow."_

 _"You're the only girl I love, mommy."_

 _She sighed. "Thanks Zuko… I love you too."_

My heart ached at the memory of my mom. Shutting my eyes tight, I tried to push the pain away. However, what she said to me seemed to echo in my head:

 _"When you're older you won't think that way. You'll find your special other…"_

Turning on my side, I stared through the dark at the direction where Crystal continued to sleep. There was no way I felt for her any more than a friend. She was _just_ a friend. Nothing more.

My fingers still tingled from the warmth and smoothness of her skin.

Just a friend… she was only just a friend…

My heart ached at the lie.


	11. Flowing Friendship

**A/N: Greetings readers. Here's the next chapter, and will probably be the last one for a few days. I return to college tomorrow and begin classes on Monday, so I'll have to write when I have free time. So please be patient with me, and thank you all for reading my story. Also, this is a long chapter! I hope you are enjoying Crystal and Zuko's adventure.**

 **Best wishes!**

 _ **-Faithy Waithy**_

* * *

Sixty-five days. I'd been with Zuko and his uncle for sixty-five days. Placing the ink-pen back in its holder, I saw Zuko pacing back and forth across the room. He'd been restless for the last three days, and I constantly questioned him about his sanity. He told me he was anxious to capture the Avatar before Zhao. It seemed that Zhao was determined to capture Aang and take away Zuko's chance of going home.

After a few more paces around the room, I let out a heavy breath. Standing from the table, I rolled up the paper to put it back beside my cot. As I headed across the room, I stopped to let Zuko pass, and then continued toward my cot.

Placing the scroll back beside my pillow, I turned to glance at the anxious prince once more. He looked like he needed a distraction. How could I distract him?

Then the thought hit me.

"Hey Zuko… Want to spar?"

Zuko froze in his step, and his eyes darted over to me with question. "Spar… with you?"

Immediately I felt embarrassed. Quickly I turned away and crossed my arms. "Never mind. That was a stupid suggestion. Sorry I brought it up."

There was silence for a moment. Then Zuko spoke again. "Training with you could be dangerous. My fire could hurt you."

Turning back to him, I smiled weakly. "I'm not that weak Zuko. I could take you."

He grimaced at the memory of our last fight. Then he nodded in agreement. "Fine. We'll spar for a little bit. It would be nice to train against another element for once in my life." He stepped over to me so he was towering my frame. "I have a few conditions though. You can only use the water I provide for you on deck. Taking water from the sea is unfair. Also, if you feel at any time I might hurt you, tell me so we can stop immediately."

I rolled my eyes. "You won't hurt me."

"Fire can be unpredictable, Crystal. One wrong move and I could hurt you by mistake."

I spoke with confidence. "I'll be fine."

About an hour later Zuko and I were standing on deck prepared to spar. We didn't bother to tell Iroh about our plans, deciding he would probably be against it and stop us. Before I left the room, Zuko had tossed my water tribe clothing at me. They'd been washed up some, but were tattered and very loose. Leaving the coat off, I pulled on my water tribe shirt and trousers. I could tell I'd lost weight as soon as I put them on, and I had to tie the trousers with a small rope for a belt. Pulling on my boots afterward, I realized it had been a very long time since I'd been in my own nations clothing. Terrifyingly, the clothes I wore felt strange to me after weeks of Fire Nation attire. Tying my hair up with ribbon, I tried not to think about it too much.

"We'll spar for a little bit. Don't get too tired. Let me know when you've had enough."

Zuko was irritating me. I wasn't a fragile little girl. I could fight him no problem. Sure, this was my first spar ever, but I was confident I could hold my ground. He would be the one to surrender.

Some pots had been filled with water and placed on deck for me to use. A few of the crewmen I held conversations with stood anxiously to the side, not liking what was about to transpire. Lieutenant Jee was against it from the start when he heard our plans, but Zuko's word was the final word. Jee ended up standing by the rest of the crew, watching the scene with uncertainty.

"Whenever you're ready," Zuko encouraged. He backed his foot and got into a solid stance ready to fight.

Standing in my own stance, I smiled with thrill. I'd never gotten the chance to train with someone else before. This would be so much fun!

"Don't cry too much," I joked.

He smirked. "I'll prepare to sob."

Shutting my eyes for a second, I took in a deep breath. My hands moved beside me as I felt the flowing liquid move in the pots around me. The water called to me, and I listened.

Shooting my hands up, streams from two pots shot above me. Then with a thrust of my hand, the water shot down toward the young man who was mixed with surprise and awe. As the water shot down toward him, he jerked his body to the side and shot a flame from fist in my direction. Dropping my previous water, I lifted some more from a pot behind me and threw it in front of me. My water and his fire collided creating a hiss of steam.

With the steam in the air, I took back some of the evaporated particles and managed to form them back into liquid mid-air. Then I shot the sudden blob of water toward Zuko. His eyes widened and he twisted his body to the side managing to dodge the attack by an inch. When he turned back toward me, he shot a volley of flames which I darted out of the way to dodge.

Grabbing more water from another pot, I jerked it straight at the prince who went to block it with his fire. Just as it headed toward him, I changed the waters direction and jerked it around him. He was still facing me when the stream smashed into his back sending him stumbling forward. He gasped in surprise, having not expected my behind attack.

"You said you learned on your own?"

I smiled with inner pride. "Yep. Just me, myself, and I."

He seemed intrigued. "Well you've definitely taught yourself some interesting things."

He jumped up and shot fire at me again with his foot. I grabbed water from the deck as I darted to the right, and as the attack whizzed past me I threw my water on the deck under Zuko's jump. Freezing the deck, Zuko made his land only to slip and fall on his back.

I couldn't help it. Zuko lied there stunned, and I giggled. "You okay?"

Zuko managed to get to his feet and step away from the patch of ice. He was flustered from his fall. "I'm fine!"

He shoved his foot forward on the deck then, sending a wave of fire toward me. As the fire came at me, I grabbed more water from the pots around me and created a vortex of water to surround my body. As the water swirled past me, the flames hit the liquid and died away. Then I shot the vortex toward Zuko who raced forward. He threw his hands in front of him and somehow dived through the vortex toward me.

Only a second later, my hand was restrained which caused my attack to drop. Zuko seemed victorious as he held my hand to stop my attack.

I was surprised. "Hey! I didn't know we were doing hand to hand."

He smiled. "Might as well give up then."

I grinned. "You may want to do that yourself."

Using my free hand, I grabbed the water soaking the deck and pulled it at Zuko. I wrapped the stream around his ankle and jerked my hand forward. The stream caught Zuko's leg and jerked him back. He released me to turn his body quickly. While he was distracted, I froze the patches of water under his feet again causing him to slide forward. He landed once more on the deck, this time falling on his back. While he happened to be down, I released his leg from the stream and brought the water above him. Then with delight, I dropped the water down on him as if he were caught in a sudden down pour. When the last of the water fell, Zuko was covered head to toe soaked to the bone.

"Well that spar was fast," I commented. "What was that? Five minutes or so?"

"No one said the spar was over," Zuko commented.

I looked down at him with question. "Huh?"

He jerked his body around so fast I didn't have time to jump. His heel connected with my ankle and I fell forward with a cry. My body met the deck, and I felt the wet steel slightly dazed. Then a second later I was grabbed on the shoulder and turned around to stare at the bright sky above. As I did so, I heard Zuko's own laughter in my ear.

"Always keep an eye on your opponent," he tipped. Looking over, I saw Zuko was kneeling beside me, his eyes light as water dripped from his ponytail. "First rule of a spar."

I couldn't help it. I sat up, smiled widely, and laughed. "You learned something today too. Don't ever underestimate your opponent."

He shook his head in disbelief. "Yeah… Sorry I doubted you." He stood up then and held a hand out to me. I took it and was helped to my feet. "You're right though. Our spar didn't last very long."

"I think we enjoyed ourselves too much," I commented.

He nodded in agreement. His smile was the widest and most genuine I'd ever seen from him.

The ship suddenly lurched as it made a sharp turn. Zuko gasped from the sudden slope of the ship and fell back. I shrieked as I was pulled with him since his hand still held my own. My body landed on his warm one cushioning my fall. The other men who had watched our spar gasped as they too struggled to stay upright.

Zuko still held to my hand as we were sprawled on deck. When the ship finally leveled out, I heard Zuko let out an aggravated sigh. "Uncle…"

I took in a heavy breath. "Where is he taking us now?"

"Beats me."

When Zuko spoke, his chest vibrated. My heart began to pound in my ears as I realized our bodies were pressed against one another. My skin burned, and for some reason I didn't want to move. I was strangely at ease, and I noticed Zuko made no move either as we lied on the deck.

"Sir!" A soldier stepped forward as if to aid us. "Are you alright?"

Zuko jumped at the sudden interruption. "Yes… I'm fine."

As if a spell were broken, Zuko let go of my hand and grabbed my shoulders. He sat up which caused me to sit on my knees. When I finally could see his face, I could see he was completely flustered as well.

He looked me over with concern. "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Um… Yeah. Thanks to you."

The young man who still held my shoulders couldn't help but smile weakly. Then he stood and helped me up. "I'm going to go question the helm. We can spar some more another day." He turned away and headed toward the door to the helm. As he went, I saw him rub the back of his neck abashed by what had just occurred.

A few hours later I found that we were docking at the port of some fishing village. Zuko explained to me that Iroh had lost the Lotus Tile he used in our Pai Sho games. I secretly was pleased for his loss. Without that special tile I may have a chance to beat him at a game. Zuko had noticed the grin on my face and rolled his eyes at me. He told me to not hold my breath, because anyone could beat me at Pai Sho. I pouted and crossed my arms with a huff.

To my relief, Zuko agreed that I could walk into the fisher village with Iroh and him. I was thrilled and ecstatic. He made me change back into my Fire Nation dress, which I understood. A Water Tribe girl journeying with two Fire Nation men would be strange and earn unwanted attention.

The ramp lowered a few minutes after we reached the dock. With thrill, I had to do all I could to not run ahead. Zuko noticed my eagerness and grabbed my shoulder to slow me down. He didn't want me tripping on the ramp and breaking my nose probably. Once we hit the market place, Iroh quickly shoved the two of us off to have fun. Three soldiers followed us as we made our way through the crowded streets of the village.

We stopped at numerous stalls, where each time I would point out something exciting to Zuko. He didn't really seem amused by the object, but I could tell he was amused by my reactions. We saw so many foreign objects and goods: there was pottery of numerous colors; jewelry I'd only dreamed about; clothes from all nations; entertainment acts on the corners of the streets (one being a man juggling swords); and don't even get me started on the décor of pretty statues and golden nick-knacks.

"This place has everything!" I grabbed Zuko's sleeve to stop him from walking. "Look, Zuko! There's a Pipa like Jee has!" I pointed at everything, feeling so light and free at the new world around me. "Oh! Check out those Earth Nation swords!" We even stopped at a jewelry stand where I pointed at a choker. "Hey! That necklace is similar to my sister's!" It was an Earth Kingdom charm, but the choker wasn't too different apart from the green color.

At the thought, I felt my smile immediately waver. Zuko noticed my sudden change, and I felt him press his hand on my shoulder to comfort me. "Come on. We should start heading back to find Iroh. He's probably done searching by now." As Zuko carted me from the stand, I looked back at the necklace feeling pain in my gut.

Katara… I wanted to see her…

As we headed back in the general area we left Iroh, I saw Zuko shoot me concern. He didn't comment though, knowing perfectly well why I'd gone quiet with dismay all of the sudden.

"Zuko! Crystal!" Iroh's calls made us both jump. We turned to see the older man heading toward us with excitement. "How is your shopping going? I still have some stuff to pick up, so I'll need another hour."

Zuko slapped his forehead. "Another hour?! What could you possibly need to buy?! Have you even found a new Lotus Tile?"

Iroh smiled. "Patience always brings fortune."

"So that's a no?"

He nodded to his nephew. "Just one more hour."

Zuko scowled. "Fine." He lightly shoved me toward Iroh. "Go with him for a while. I need to do something."

I was puzzled by Zuko's sudden action, and I watched him head away back into the market. The three soldiers, who had been on our tail for the last hour, quickly followed him to protect him. Once he was gone, Iroh placed a fatherly hand on my shoulder. "Come along, Crystal. We have many stalls to check still."

Without much of a choice, I followed the man to help him with his shopping.

 **Zuko POV**

Standing at a stall with numerous necklaces and bracelets, I felt heavily consumed by the endless choices before me. What was it with women and jewelry? Crossing my arms, I felt uncertain as I stared at the objects sprawled across the counter top. The old woman behind the counter watched me curiously as I picked up a necklace, sighed heavily, and placed it back down.

What was I doing? Did she even like jewelry?

The soldiers behind me snickered, and I turned my head sharply to glare at them. They'd been watching me for the last ten minutes, and they were amused by my struggles. When they saw my heated gaze it quickly shut them up.

"Let me guess… A lover?"

The old woman spoke up out of nowhere. I jerked my head back toward her feeling my cheeks burn up. "No," I defended. "We're just friends."

She smiled wisely, her lips causing more wrinkles on her cracked skin. She walked with a cane and had white hair. She was definitely of the Earth Nation, but she appeared to hold no prejudice toward my Fire Nation appearance.

"Friends, huh?" She looked dead into my eyes with her glazed green ones. "Most friends don't shop as hard as you've been young man." She looked over her selection to assist me. "No matter… What you need is something not too big, but not too small." Her crinkled hand reached forward and picked up something from the table. She inspected the necklace for a moment, and then placed it back down. "Something that represents her."

I stared back at the counter troubled. _Something that represents her…_

My eyes scanned over the counter-top once again, my brows furrowed. Like I knew what represents her! However, after scanning the wide array of jewels, I found it: a golden chained necklace with a blue crystal stone. My hand picked up the piece, and I held it in my palm. It was light and cool against the skin. The stone was cut smooth, and transparent illuminating some light on my skin. It was a match.

"Friends, huh? I see," the old woman spoke again. "That there is a special delicacy. It was traded to me by some men from up north. They informed it was made by a man of the Water Nation. It's a beautiful find, don't you think."

"It's perfect," I said softly.

After I paid the woman, she kindly folded the necklace in a piece of cloth so it wouldn't break. Holding onto the purchase for dear life, I made my way back through the market to find my Uncle and Crystal once again.

 **Crystal POV**

"Iroh… Maybe this place has no Lotus Tiles."

I followed the old man to another stall as we continued through the market place. We'd been to ten already, and so far he had made a purchase at each one. It amazed me by how much money this man seemed to have. If I were journeying with the Avatar, I was pretty sure we'd have to eat wild berries or find a way to earn our food. I could indeed tell I was walking with royalty as he bought different items he had absolutely no need for.

"Don't lose hope, Crystal! If you desire something enough, the wind will blow it your way!"

Rolling my eyes, I crossed my arms and looked up at the sky. This man had way too much hope.

We were just reaching what felt like our thirtieth stand when a voice made us both jump.

"Uncle! Your times up!"

Iroh sighed in defeat, turning toward his nephew who was steadily approaching us. "Very well, Zuko. I've checked all the shops on this pier. Not a lotus tile in the entire marketplace."

The young prince scowled. "Well then, it's good to know this trip was a complete waste of time for everyone!"

As Zuko spoke these words, a line of soldiers began to carry all of Iroh's purchases past us toward the ship.

"Quite the contrary," Iroh calmly spoke. "I always say the only thing better than finding something you were looking for, is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain!"

Zuko stared at the parade of men and their bundles with disbelief. "You bought a Tsungi Horn?"

Iroh beamed. "For music night on the ship! Now… if we only had some woodwinds."

As Iroh walked off again to continue shopping (which Zuko growled about but didn't protest) I asked with curiosity, "Where'd you run off to?"

At my question, his cheeks turned crimson and he fell quiet in what appeared to be embarrassment. He quickly covered it up though. "Just went back to the ship for a little bit. These markets make me claustrophobic." He walked off then to follow Iroh. I furrowed my brows in question but quickly followed behind him.

We walked along the pier for a little bit. Iroh was eager to see if maybe there were some shops on the outskirts we'd missed. Just as we started to walk past a giant wooden ship anchored by the pier, I bumped into someone tall and thin. The man who bumped into me just stood there as I fell back on my butt. When I looked up at him, I was surprised by his appearance.

He was a gangly man, with sun bleached skin and salt worn clothing. He had long brown hair that he kept out of his face with a green headband, dark eyes that stared down at me amazed, and a split mustache. A hoop earring was pierced through his earlobe.

"Wha- you!" He reached down and grabbed me by my arm hard. I gasped as he jerked me up. "Where's the scroll!"

I was shocked by his sudden fury. What the spirits was this man talking about?

He shook me painfully, and yelled again spitting in my face. "Answer me you Water Tribe wench! Ya think ya can change clothing and I won't recognize ya!"

"Oh! Wait," another man snapped. This one was heavy set with a topknot and nose ring. "Look at dat scar! It ain't da thief!"

The man named Oh, stopped shaking me and stared at my scar with surprise. However, before he let me go a hand grabbed his arm hard and jerked him away from me.

"Don't touch her!" Zuko had noticed my skirmish finally and came to the rescue. He pulled me away from the two men and jerked me behind him. Iroh quickly joined us, coming over to make sure I was alright. I was just shaken, and my arm ached horribly from the stranger's painful yank.

The gangly pirate quickly placed his hands together and bowed slightly. "My mistake youngster. I thought she was someone else."

Zuko growled. His hand was still on my elbow probably to calm his own rage.

Iroh spoke up with his words of wisdom. "Mistakes can cost a man."

The heavier man spoke up again. "Me apologies fer my comrade 'ere. Could we interest ye all in some foreign trade goodies? We'd be glad ta offer ye a discount fer bein' rough on da lass."

Zuko went to protest, but Iroh was interested.

"Wonderful! I'd love to see your finds!"

As the two men led Iroh toward the ship, Zuko and I stayed back for a moment.

"Stupid pirates," Zuko muttered.

I looked at the men in surprise. Pirates?

He turned back to me then, grabbing both of my shoulders to look me over with worry. "Are you alright? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

His concern surprised me. I smiled weakly. "I'm fine. Just a little shaken up, but thanks to you I'm unscathed."

This seemed to offer him some relief.

"Come on you two! Last stop! I promise!"

At Iroh's call, the two of us made our way up the ship ramp with frowns; neither one of us wanted to be on a ship owned by pirates. Following the men through the ship, I fell in thought as I rubbed my aching arm. Why did the pirate grab me so suddenly? He mistook me for someone, but who could that be?

It hit me then. Katara! He thought I was Katara! My heart ached as I realized this, and I looked at the two pirates who led us down a long hall to a wooden door.

 _Where's the scroll…?_

The pirate accused me of stealing from him. I could only assume Katara had stolen something from them then. My sister wasn't usually a thief. What the spirits was she thinking, stealing from a couple of men with tempers and weapons? She was too stubborn for her own good!

We ended up inside a small dim room packed with numerous items from all over the world. A man with a big hat and a strange bird sat at a desk tapping his finger impatiently. As Iroh started to browse the merchandise, I stayed glued to Zuko's elbow from fear. I didn't want to give the men an opportunity to grab me again.

"Captain," Oh suddenly said. "We lost the Water Tribe girl and the little bald monk she was traveling with."

These words caused Zuko to spin on his heel toward the three men in the room. He left my side and rushed over. "This monk, did he have an arrow on his head?"

My eyes widened. I stood in place watching the scene with terror. Give it a rest… Just give it a rest already!

"Ay…" the captain answered. "Why do ya ask?"

Zuko seemed eager and determined. "Let's just say, it is important that I capture that kid."

The pirate captain perked up. He stood from his desk so he was eye level to Zuko. "You have a proposition for me I assume?"

Iroh was still gazing at a creepy monkey statue as Zuko had his conversation. I stood as still as I possibly could, not wanting to draw an ounce of attention to myself.

"I assume you're after these kids for something. I'll gather my soldiers and assist you in their capture. Once we have the water tribe kids and boy you'll be given back what belongs to you."

"So," the pirate began in contemplation. "I get my scroll back, and you get the monk boy. Seems fair… What about the Water Tribe brats though?"

My breath hitched. What would Zuko say? He didn't really need Sokka or Katara, so he could easily hand them over to the pirates.

"I can deal with them. They'll be locked right up with the monk boy."

Though I was relieved Zuko wouldn't hand them over to the pirates, I cringed at the thought of my family in a cell. Please don't catch them… please don't catch them…

"Very well… Get me my scroll back and the kids are yours."

The two sealed their agreement.

The rest of the conversation consisted of a time and location to meet. Zuko wanted to return to the ship so he could gather some of his men and also get his steamboat. The Captain explained that the kids were last seen flying away along the river, and the river wasn't very wide. Since the pirate ship was small, and Zuko's steamboat was smaller, they decided that was the best course of action to take.

While they spoke, Iroh decided on his purchase and paid the captain for the monkey statue. Zuko and the captain both grimaced at the awful purchase, but the pirate didn't persuade Iroh not to get it.

Eventually, the pirate captain noticed me at last, standing in the dark of the ship. "Who's that?"

Zuko stepped over to me. "A friend. She won't be joining us in our current engagement."

Friend? Though I knew I should be upset for not being able to see my family, I felt elated. Zuko _did_ see me as his friend!

"A friend…" The captain looked me over with question. "Ya look pretty familiar. You don't happen to be related to these brats were chasin do ya?"

At first I wanted to say yes, because I wanted to tell this pirate over and over again to leave my family alone. However, instead I crossed my arms and looked away. My instinct told me that if this Captain found out my relation to Sokka and Katara, he'd want to use me as bait. That was the last thing I needed.

"Nope," I calmly spoke. "Don't know them."

The Captain looked like he wanted to argue, but instead he shrugged it off.

About ten minutes later we were back on the ship, and Iroh went off to gather some men for the trip down the river. As he did that, Zuko escorted me back to his room. We walked for a few minutes in silence, and I knew Zuko was deep in thought. We were just approaching the hall with our room, when Zuko finally broke the silence.

"Why did you lie to him?"

His question took me off guard, but I knew what he was referring to.

"If he found out the water tribe kids were my brother and sister, he would've used me to lure them in. I have no desire to be used as bait."

Zuko seemed to take in what I spoke, his eyes staring at the floor as we walked along.

"You always worry about them… Do you ever take time to worry about yourself?"

This time I stopped walking. Zuko had taken a few steps in front of me, but came to a halt when he noticed my falter. Looking back at me, I noticed he was waiting patiently for my answer. His eyes didn't move from my gaze. My hand instinctively went to rub my arm awkwardly, but as soon as I moved my arm I winced as it shot with pain. The gangly pirate had bruised me up when he grabbed me earlier. Luckily, Zuko didn't seem to notice.

"No… not really," I admitted. "I just want them to be okay. I guess as long as their okay I have nothing to be anxious about."

"Even though you're under Fire Nation custody?"

I smiled. "It's not all that bad. So far you and your men haven't done anything to hurt me. I'm alive, so worrying about my situation won't do me any good. Things could be much worse."

Zuko stepped forward suddenly, and I was shocked when his hand reached to gently grab my arm. He pulled me a step closer and examined the spot where a hand shaped bruise was starting to form. "Yeah… Your arm could be broken by pirates."

My ears turned red from the concern he was sending toward me. Zuko cared about me… He was upset I got hurt on his watch…

Hanging my head, I placed my free hand over his grasp. "I'm okay… I've been through worse. A little bruise is nothing."

His amber eyes shot to my sky blue, and then his gaze trailed to the scar on my right cheekbone. When his free hand suddenly reached up and caressed my scarred cheek I was frozen in shock. His hand was so warm, and his touch sent pleasing shivers down my spine. His breath was suddenly on my nose, and I felt my breathing hitch at the contact we were making. What was this? Why did I feel so calm…?

My eyes shut, and I took my free hand to place it over Zuko's. His hand was so soft… Even though he was so strong, the feel of his skin felt good on my own.

He sighed heavily, and I felt his hold on my arm tighten as if he were afraid I'd disappear. He leaned closer, and I opened my eyes to see his deep gold were right in my line of sight. "What are you doing to me… why do I care so much…?" His questions weren't meant to be answered. I knew he was directing them more to himself.

I wanted him to hold me like that longer, but then my senses returned to me. What was I doing? Zuko was about to go on a mission to capture my family and the Avatar. Zuko was trying to take away the world's last hope. I couldn't feel this way. If my people saw me in this current position, they would scold me and lock me up for losing my head.

Enemy… Zuko was the enemy…

Grabbing his hand, I pulled him away from my scar. My sudden movement made him wake up from his confusion. He quickly jerked away, stepping back to give us some space. In the process we broke contact, and I stepped back to space us out some more. My skin still tingled from his touch though, and my heart ached to feel his warmth again.

What was he doing to me? Why did I care so much?

Clearing my throat, I ran a hand through my hair to try and shove away the awkward air between us. "We should get to our room. You're due to meet back up with the pirates in a few hours. You don't want to keep them waiting."

He nodded, his face twisted and puzzled as he tried to gather in his own thoughts what had gotten into him. We returned to our room in silence, the both of us trying to understand what we were feeling.

 **Zuko POV**

"Tell me where he is and I won't hurt you or your brother."

"Go jump in a river!"

I cringed as I stood in front of the very angry waterbender who I'd ordered my men to tie to a tree. It had been eight hours since I'd left Crystal chained up in our room. My men and I met up with the pirates very early in the morning. The half-moon above was starting to lower in the sky, but we still had hours before sunrise. It took us all of two hours to head down river, and very easily we found Crystal's sister on the bank. The young waterbender was shouting so much, that we were able to find her exact location.

It took me all of twenty minutes to sneak on shore with the pirates. We surrounded the girl, who frantically tried to find a place to run. She eventually ran right toward me, and I grabbed her to restrain her. I was surprised to find that even though she was close to Crystal's height, she was much feistier than her older sister. It took me and three other men to apprehend her, and some extra men to tie her to the nearest tree. Once I pried the scroll from her hand, I saw the pirates around me were eager to have it back. I would first use it to get them to do my bidding.

The girl's stubborn sass still hung in my ears as I watched her struggle in her rope restraints. I inched toward her to try and be reasonable. There was one way I could encourage her, and I reached for the item inside my armor.

"Try to understand, I need to capture the Avatar to restore something I've lost... my honor. Perhaps in exchange I can restore something you've lost." I stepped beside her and held the necklace so it was lined near her neck. The necklace was a blue choker that held a silver charm with water swirl patterns.

Her eyes widened in horror, and I saw tears start to form. She gritted her teeth seething with fury. "My mother's necklace!"

Her mother's necklace… This necklace once belonged to Crystal's mom?

My hand lowered but I tried to keep my cool. My other hand could still feel the earlier warmth of Crystal's skin as I had pressed against her scar gently. Quickly, I shook off the feeling. There was no time to think about her. I had to find the Avatar.

"How did you get that?"

The girl's accusing eyes almost shot through me like daggers. I tried to keep my cool. "I didn't steal it, if that's what you're wondering. Tell me where he is!"

She was still stubborn. She snapped with hatred, "No!"

I scowled. My hand jerked her necklace away and placed it back where I'd been storing it.

"Enough of this necklace garbage. You promised the scroll!"

The pirate captain's voice made my brow twitch in frustration. I still wasn't happy with his comrades for injuring Crystal. The bruise on her arm was already prominent by the time I left her to prepare for my mission. Turning to the pirates, I held the scroll up and placed a flame below it. They all jumped forward in terror as I threatened to burn their prize.

"I wonder how much money this is worth? A lot, apparently. Now you help me find what I want, you'll get this back and everyone goes home happy," I was giving the orders finally. "Search the woods for the boy and meet back here."

The pirates scowled in frustration. Their Captain gritted his teeth, but didn't argue. "Fine," he spat. Quickly, he and his men walked off into the woods to go find the other two brats.

While they were gone, I saw Uncle looking at our prior captive with curiosity. He was probably picking out her similarities to Crystal. I admit the two looked like sisters, but their features were nowhere near the same. This girl was much straighter in frame than her big sister, and her eyes were aquamarine: Crystal's were azure like the sky.

"Prince Zuko… Perhaps tying this young lady to a tree is a little harsh."

I ignored my uncle. Instead, I looked at the girl who was watching me with burning hatred.

"She'll be fine."

"You wait until I get free you spoiled rich brat! I'm going to show you just how powerful a waterbender can be!"

I grimaced at her words.

"You'll pay for everything! Imprisoning my sister! Tying me to a tree! Trying to hurt Aang! You'll wish you were never born when I'm through with you!"

"On second thought," Uncle muttered. "Perhaps she could stay where she is until she calms down."

She shouted some more. "I hope you all get what you deserve! I won't rest until the Fire Nation is stopped once and for all."

Her shouting got on my last nerve. "Will you please shut up?!"

My sudden shout made her fall silent.

"Jeez! I'm relieved I took Crystal instead of you! At least she doesn't scream my ear off!"

The waterbender in front of me was surprised. Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"You're lucky I haven't gagged you yet!"

"Wait…" She was no longer yelling. Her face was puzzled. "Since when are you on a name basis with my sister?"

Her question took me off guard. I frowned and crossed my arms. Looking away from her, I kicked at some rocks. "Well what do you want me to call her? That is her name."

Silence fell between us. The girl, who I finally recalled was named Katara, was astounded by my words. Finally, after some more pause, she broke the quiet air.

"Wai- wait a second… Don't tell me… You like my sister?!"

Her words surprised me. Uncle choked beside me trying to hide what I could only assume was laughter. My cheeks flared and I scowled.

"Wha- what?! That's ridiculous!" I didn't meet her eyes as I spluttered out denials. "I-I don't like her! Why would I? She- she's just my prisoner! That's all she is!"

Another pause fell between us. I shot my eyes toward her to see her reaction. She wasn't convinced. She was facetious. She burst into laughter and shook her head. "Yo-you like Crystal! Oh spirits! I can't believe this! A spoiled rich pompous Fire Nation brat has fallen for my sister!" She broke into more laughter. "Oh! This is gold!"

I growled stepping forward. My fists clenched in rage. Who did this girl think she was? It wasn't funny! What was so wrong with me liking her sister?

I shook my head. Wait! No Zuko! What are you thinking? You don't actually like her…

Azure eyes filled my thoughts, and I realized then and there why I was so heated by Katara's laughter. I finally understood. I did like her sister… I liked Crystal…

"Shut your mouth you stupid peasant! What's so wrong with that?!"

She stopped laughing. Her face pulled into surprise, then confusion, and finally hate. "What's wrong…? what's wrong?! You're Fire Nation! You're a monster who only wants to capture the world's last hope! You're the enemy! You and my sister could never like one another! She'll only see you as a monster!"

I felt my blood boil. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but she told me the other day that I'm not a monster! We're friends!"

Katara narrowed her eyes. "Crystal wouldn't trust a firebender! Not after what your people did to her and our family!"

I was only a pace from the girl and had to do everything I could not to smack her. "You don't know her then!"

She leaned forward. "Of course I do! She's my sister!"

"You do?! You didn't even know she could waterbend until I showed up! Great relationship you have there!"

She fell silent, her eyes wide as the words I shouted started to sink in.

"Prince Zuko!" Uncle grabbed me and pulled me back from the girl. "Enough! I think the both of you need to calm down before anything else is said."

Another moment of silence passed between us. I took in a few breaths to calm my anger. The men around us stood watching the whole scene play out with a mixture of surprise and unease.

"You're right…" The sudden voice behind me took me off guard. I turned back to the girl with surprise. She hung her head, and I saw her eyes start to water. "I had my suspicions, but I didn't know… I'll never understand why she didn't tell me or Sokka. I can't fathom why she would keep such a gift a secret from the rest of us. I wish I'd known… Then maybe I could've stopped her." She looked up at me with determination. "You have your chance to have two waterbenders… why haven't you taken me to the ship already?"

I grimaced. My eyes shot to Uncle, the rest of my men, and then back to her. "Because of Crystal… I promised her I wasn't after you and your brother. The only one I want is the Avatar. Once I have him, and the pirates go on their way, you and your brother will be free to go."

She was amazed by my words. "You'd do that… for my sister?"

I nodded. "I'm not a monster… I'll always keep my word."

She went speechless. She didn't know what to say. She hung her head in defeat.

 **Crystal POV**

"Ha! I win again!"

Jiho growled and tossed his cards down in irritation. "How are you so good at this game?"

"It's all about luck!"

The older man in front of me couldn't help but smile. "Then I'm very unlucky."

The sunrise had come two hours ago, and without much choice I sat in my room bored out of my mind. My good friend Jiho, the ship cook, arrived to give me some breakfast and tea. When he saw how bored I'd become he insisted that he could give me company for a little bit. That little bit turned into two hours of playing card games and chatting about anything we could think of.

As I went to pick up the cards to distribute them again, I frowned as worries tried to flow through me. Zuko and his uncle had been gone all night, and I had no clue if my family and Aang were still walking around free. I was worried about them, and I was also worried for Zuko and Iroh. I just needed to know what was going on.

"So tell me more about this special steamed Seal Jerky recipe. Do you think the crew would like it?"

I started to hand out the cards again. "I'm not sure. Maybe I can serve it to the crew one day and see. I doubt you have seal jerky lying around though."

He smiled. "Yeah. Mainly just duck and fish."

I nodded. "Well… My family do enjoy my salted fish recipe. Maybe I could give that one a shot one day."

"You like to cook then?"

A blush pulled on my cheeks. "Yeah… I took over when my mom died. It was a good distraction."

Jiho took this in. Then his eyes lit up. "I have an idea! You can help me cook dinner for the crew tomorrow night!"

His words took me off guard. "You… you want me to cook?" I ran a hand through my hair in uncertainty. "I don't know… I've never cooked for so many before."

He waved me off. "Not a problem. I'll be there to help."

His words reassured me. I smiled. "Okay. I'd be glad to cook dinner for everyone. It can be my way to thank them for their kindness."

We started to play cards again. As we did, I noticed Jiho looked like he wanted to say something. After a few minutes, he finally spoke. "You've definitely changed my views, Miss Crystal." I looked at him with question. He didn't meet my gaze. "Growing up, my father taught me that the people of the Water Tribe were weak and powerless humans who needed to be conquered and rectified. However, you show me and many others on this ship that you aren't as frail as we're made to believe. I've met many women at war, but none of them have that burning determination I see whenever I look your way. You're a fighter, Crystal. I respect you for that."

I was flustered by his praise. "Thanks..."

"Also, you're the first person I've ever seen stand up to Prince Zuko. That was some spunk that day you attacked him. He didn't expect it."

"Yeah… It's strange how one minute I want to pound his face into the floor, and the next I'm worried about him."

Jiho nodded. "Yes… Love works in mysterious ways."

I'd gone to place a card down but stopped. My breathing hitched as I took in his words. "Love?"

He smiled. "Oh. Sorry. I should've said strong friendship. I suppose you and the young prince haven't quite reached that stage." He looked at the card I held midair. "Your turn."

I placed the card down, but was still puzzled by his words. "Zuko and I aren't like that… We're just friends. Nothing more."

"Hmm…" Jiho tapped his chin. He didn't take his turn. "I see." He placed a card down then. "Well you tell that to General Iroh, because he's convinced there's something growing between the two of you."

"Yeah," I spoke. My voice was tight. "Friendship."

He only smiled with knowing. He placed another card down. "I win."

My eyes widened and I looked down at the cards in front of us. He did win.

The door to the room suddenly opened, and Zuko came in looking both disappointed and exhausted. When he stepped in, he was surprised to see Jiho in the room but didn't snap at him. Instead, he ordered Jiho to return to his duties. The man quickly stood and bowed to the young prince. When he left the room, he turned as he closed the door to wave at me. I waved back still puzzled by our prior conversation. Finally, I was alone and turned to Zuko with question.

"So… How'd it go?"

He sighed heavily. He started to take off his armor as he answered. "Let's just say, your brother has a big mouth."

He tried to take his upper armor off, but I could tell he was struggling to untie the strings on both sides. Getting up from where I sat, I walked over to help him. He jumped a bit when he felt my hand brush his to the side. I quickly undid the knot on his right side. "What did Sokka do this time?"

He stood still as I moved to his other side to help him with the other knot. Zuko breathed heavily. "He told the pirates that the boy I wanted to capture was the Avatar. When the pirates found out, they wanted him for themselves. We had to fight it out, and in the end I lost both the Avatar and my steamboat."

The knot was undone, and Zuko finally managed to take off his upper armor. As he did so, I stepped back feeling for some strange reason sorry for his loss. "You tried… That's all that matters."

He hung his head some more, and I saw his shoulders slump. He looked so tired. He looked broken. "I failed… All I do is fail…"

My heart ached for Zuko and his pain. I wanted to hug him. I wanted to reassure him. The sadness he let off only made me yearn for him to be happy again.

 _But he's the enemy… I shouldn't care… He tried to go after the Avatar today… He only wants his honor…_

The young man in front of me shut his eyes and his body shook. He was trying not to crumble. I'd seen this emotion before, through my own brother Sokka. After my mother died and father left us, I found Sokka at the edge of the village staring off into the sea. Just like Zuko, he trembled and shut his eyes tight in agony. He blamed himself for mother's death and not being strong enough to join the warriors to fight. I'd hugged him and reassured him that he was strong enough to protect the tribe where he stood.

Stepping in front of Zuko, I reached my arms around his upper body and pressed my face into his trembling shoulder. He was taller than me, so he easily placed his face into my hair. He slowly wrapped his arms around me as well, and I was surprised at the sudden warmth that consumed me. He still shook, and I felt a few drops of salty water as tears slid down his cheeks. I'd never seen Zuko cry, so seeing it for the first time was foreign to me. It was a huge reveal though. It taught me that Zuko wasn't any less human than me. He hurt just like any other man in the world.

"Hey… It's okay," I promised. "At least you haven't given up… The strongest must go through numerous obstacles before they can reach victory."

Zuko muttered, "You've been talking to Uncle too much."

I frowned. "No… My father said that."

He fell silent for a moment, and I could tell he was calming himself. He still held me close though, as if I was the only thing keeping him in this world. I didn't let him go, knowing he needed the comfort. He was alone… He had no one to comfort him except for Iroh. I didn't want him to feel like he had to face his pain on his own.

My heart wanted him to be happy.

"You're so strange…" he whispered suddenly. I felt him still press his face to my hair. "Your brother and sister would lose it if they saw us now. I'm the enemy."

"You're my friend… This is what friends do. They comfort one another."

He pulled away slightly, and I felt his hands move from my body to my shoulders. He still showed moisture in his eyes, but I could tell he wasn't going to cry in front of me. "Why are you so kind to me, after everything I've done to you?"

His question took me off guard. I rubbed the back of my neck wondering the same thing. "I don't know… I suppose it's because no matter how much I want to dislike you, something stops me from doing so. I know… horrible explanation."

He nodded and smiled weakly.

I grabbed his wrist then, but only to comfort him some more. "You should get some sleep. Rest will make you feel ten times better." I stepped away from him. "A man needs his rest, as your uncle always says."

He listened to me. Ten minutes later, Zuko stripped off his shirt and his boots. Then the next thing I knew he was out cold on his cot. He'd kindly taken off my ankle cuff before he went to sleep, so I was free to leave the cabin and give him some quiet. Before I left, I couldn't help but kneel beside him for a moment. My eyes scanned his face, which was smooth and young. He slept with exhaustion, and I grabbed the blanket that he didn't have the energy to pull over him. Carefully, I placed the blanket over him like I used to do with Sokka when he was upset or sick.

"Sweet dreams, Prince Zuko."

Silently, I stood and made my way out of the room, shutting the door behind.


	12. Raging Storm

The fish sizzled in front of me as I watched it on the stove top. It was very strange cooking on metal instead of above a flame, but I was getting the gist of it. Jiho stood beside me, his eyes watching my cooking with thrill. I was making the crew dinner, which consisted of steamed fish soup. My mom and Gran-Gran shared the recipe with one another, and after mom passed the recipe was left in my hands. Jiho was excited to have me serve the crew, and I was happy to do so. They had all shown me nothing but kindness over the last few weeks of our journey. Also, Zuko had been down in the dumps since his defeat with the pirates twenty-four hours ago, so I wanted to do something to cheer him up.

"You seem pretty content tonight, Miss Crystal. Any reason?"

I blushed. My hand faltered as I went to drop more spice on the fish. "Just glad to help out everyone, that's all. I haven't been able to cook for a while, so it's nice to get back into the routine."

"You cook a lot for your family then?"

I nodded. "I usually cook dinner. My little sister is in charge of our breakfast."

"And your brother?"

I smirked. "He attempts to catch us food for both. Usually I would sneak behind him and help him out."

The man laughed. "You're a good sister."

His words made me frown slightly. Yeah… A good sister who never told her family she was a waterbender… I was the sister of the year…

Another hour passed and dinner was ready. I'd made enough for the whole crew, to which Jiho helped me distribute in multiple bowls. The crew was in the mess hall, and I heard that Zuko and Iroh were there as well. I'd asked Iroh to convince Zuko to come to dinner with everyone else, to which the old man eagerly agreed and did so. When it was time to distribute the food, Jiho and I carried as much of the bowls as we could. A few other men helped us in our distribution, and eventually everyone in the large hall had their supper.

There were no tables in the mess hall, but the men were seated on the floor in circles chatting. Once the bowls were distributed, Jiho handed me my own portion and I walked over to join Iroh and Zuko. They were already digging in when I arrived, and I wondered if Zuko knew I'd prepared it. When I sat down in front of the two, Iroh smiled widely swallowing a mouthful of the fish soup.

"This is delicious, Crystal! The finest soup I've ever tasted."

"I'm glad you like it," I said softly with a blush. "Don't say that to Jiho though… I don't want to outdo him."

Iroh chuckled. "Of course I won't… It is _very_ tasty though. I'm so glad you can share your cooking with the crew."

Zuko glanced over at me in surprise. He must've not realized I'd cooked the food. He stared back at his bowl picking up another spoonful. He muttered softly, "That explains it then." I looked at him with question, but he refused to look my way. He continued eating the food, and I saw with utter relief that he was enjoying each mouthful.

Eating my own portion, I was relieved to find it tasted quite alright for using different ingredients and cooking methods. The fish tasted a bit spicier than I was accustomed to, but I knew the Fire Nation was a fan of spice… especially Zuko… Zuko loved spicy foods. With a few tips from Jiho, I was able to give the fish just enough spice to satisfy the crew. It burned my tongue and mouth, but I didn't complain. I cooked the meal, so the least I could do was eat it too.

"I hope there's enough spice in it," I said, trying to bring conversation to our quiet group. "I wasn't sure how much to use."

Zuko was surprisingly the one to answer. "It's perfect. You did a great job."

His compliment made my ears burn. Looking toward him, I saw he too was flushed as he kept his eyes on his soup. He'd been avoiding my gaze since we'd hugged one another, and I wondered worriedly if I'd crossed a line.

"Thanks," I responded. I took another bite of my food trying to not show the delight I felt in me from his compliment.

Iroh smiled widely from where he watched our interaction.

My bowl emptied faster than I expected, and I saw Iroh and Zuko's bowls had done the same. "I'll get started on cleaning up," I insisted, going to stand.

Jiho had been walking by with a few empty bowls in his hand, and quickly stopped me. "No need, Miss Crystal. You slaved away in the kitchen for the last two hours. I can handle the cleanup."

I went to protest to the cook, but he'd taken my bowl and was already walking off.

Zuko grabbed my arm when I tried to follow. "You heard him. He'll handle it…" He'd stood only a moment after I did, so his sudden touch took me off guard. I looked at him a bit startled by his actions. "Uh… Do you want to get some air up on deck? The sun should be setting around this time."

His request surprised me, but I willingly accepted. We both left the mess hall, and Zuko led me through the belly of the ship back toward the stairwell. We went up three floors, down one hall, and up one more flight of stairs. Finally, we made it out on deck. The breeze was cool and felt good on my skin. I breathed in glad for the fresh air. Being in the kitchen had put smoke in my lungs, so it was nice to not breathe in fish scent and chemicals.

The sun was a beautiful red and orange color, its blazing orb lowering on the horizon. I'd seen it set before, but usually I was with Iroh or walking on my own. Zuko sharing the sunset with me wasn't something that happened often.

We ended up standing by the railing, our mouths shut tight as we stared out toward the horizon. Zuko didn't know what to say, and I didn't really want to start the conversation. I assumed he would speak when he was ready. As we stood side-by-side, I was mesmerized by the burning water that shimmered before my eyes. The sun almost made the water seem like it was on fire. It was magical from the distance, and I wanted it to last forever.

"I'm sorry about the other day," he said softly. "I don't lose my emotions like that often."

His words took me off guard. I looked over at him in question. "Sorry…? Why are you apologizing?"

My question made him hang his head in shame. He took in a heavy breath. "Crying is weak. I'm supposed to be strong and confident, but the other day I lost control."

"What? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! If crying was weak then everyone would be weak along with you!"

Zuko gripped the rail hard. "A Fire Lord isn't supposed to cry. When I become a leader, I can't let my emotions overrun me like the other day. No matter how much I feel at a loss, I can't show anyone defeat."

"Zuko… Even the strongest men cry," I insisted. "It's human nature. You can't just bottle up your emotions. It's not healthy."

"My father would knock me on the head if he saw me the other day… Crying isn't something a future Fire Lord should be seen doing."

I punched him in the arm suddenly; I wasn't trying to hurt him. I just wanted to knock some sense in him. He cringed at my sudden attack, his eyes wide as he looked at me in surprise. He rubbed the spot I'd pounded. "What was that for?"

I turned to face him fully. Crossing my arms, I answered, "For being irrational." He was bewildered. I continued speaking. "Stop beating yourself up; you're a normal teenage guy with a lot of weight on your shoulders. You've been banished from your home, you can't return without some twelve year old kid, and the only family you have to care about you currently is your uncle Iroh. You're alone, angry, scared, and exhausted. Shedding some tears for your lack of fortune is completely expected."

Turning back to the sunset, I frowned.

"My father is a leader Zuko… He's the chief of the Southern Water Tribe. He has the same mindset you do. When he's around the tribe he puts on a façade to convince everyone he's strong and focused on the tasks at hand. However, I've walked in on my father numerous times seeing him in tears. Especially after my mom died… he beat himself up for months saying it was his fault. He'd cry, but when he cried that was his way of becoming stronger. Each tear he shed for my mother was a way of letting her go."

I could see my words were sinking into Zuko.

"Don't ever be ashamed to cry… If you keep it all in, the failure you feel will only continue to weigh you down. Don't apologize for being human."

My last statement hung in the air. I wondered if I managed to get through to him. I'd gone into one of my tangents, which was something I tried not to do. I was always concerned I'd bore or say something I shouldn't to my companion.

He seemed to take in what I spoke with calm though. He looked contemplative as he stared down at the water below. His tense shoulders dropped as he found ease in the words I'd spoken to him. "You always see me as a human… No matter how much I don't act it."

"Even when you turn back into your hotheaded prince-like self, you're still a human in my eyes. I told you before… I don't see you as a monster. You're my friend."

"I'm your captor."

"Only to my family and Aang," I admitted. "If they got to know you like me though then they'd see why I feel that way."

We both fell into silence then. Zuko was soaking in everything I had said to him. While he did that I continued to watch the sun which was sinking lower and lower on the horizon.

It seemed a few minutes passed, and the last of the sun was visible to our eye. As our last remaining light stood, Zuko said softly, "I didn't just bring you out here to talk. I wanted to give you something."

My eyes shot toward Zuko in question. He took something out from a pocket on his pants. He handed the cloth wrapped item over to me, and I took it carefully with surprise. Zuko had gotten me something? I'd never been given anything by anyone who wasn't my family. I'd never received a gift from a friend. Unwrapping the cloth, I was amazed when I found what was inside: A beautiful blue crystal necklace on a gold chain.

I'd never ever received anything of such beauty before in my life. Apart from my mother's necklace, which I gave to Katara to comfort her during her time of grieving, I'd never seen anything more radiant. However, the treasure Zuko handed me was by far the prettiest and most precious jewel I'd ever been given.

"Back at the market… I saw you looking at the jewelry on the table. I wanted to do something nice for you, as my way of saying thanks and stuff. I know it's not much, but-"

Tears were falling down my cheeks and I shut my eyes. My chest tightened as I held the gift in my shaking hands.

"Hey! Why are you crying? I- I thought girls liked stuff like this," Zuko began.

Opening my eyes again, I looked over at the young man who was frazzled in front of me. "I'm sorry… I'm just…" I wiped my cheeks with my free hand. "I'm so happy. No one's ever given me something so precious before."

"It's just a necklace," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Nothing to be so happy about."

I still smiled, despite his words. "Thank you, Zuko. I'll treasure it forever."

My promise surprised him. He recovered though, taking up the necklace to help me put it on. "Here… Turn around."

I blushed as I turned. Taking my long hair, I moved it to the side so he could see. His arms came around me and his hands were inches away from my chest. He placed the necklace carefully around my neck, and after a moment managed to clasp it together. The stone pressed against my chest and the cool touch felt good on my burning hot skin. Turning back to Zuko, I saw his cheeks were crimson as well.

Flustered, I managed to ask softly, "How does it look?"

He stared at me full on, his eyes not dropping once. "Beautiful."

As his eyes gazed into my own, and not at the necklace, I knew he wasn't complimenting the stone alone. The thought made my heart accelerate and my breathing hitch.

 **Zuko POV**

I knew I was probably staring like an idiot, but I just couldn't look away. From what remained of the setting sun, Crystal looked like she was glowing. Her azure eyes shined and reflected the sun as if I were staring out toward the sea and not at her. There was so much life and brightness in her gaze; I was too mesmerized to break contact. I was afraid I'd never see the same sight again. She was the most alluring girl I'd ever laid eyes on.

Stepping toward her, I saw she didn't move as my hand reached forward and I brushed my thumb across her scarred cheekbone. She stood still as my skin made contact with her own, and I could tell she too didn't want to look away from my own gaze. She wasn't like other girls I'd met in the past. She had something about her that I didn't want to lose.

Leaning forward, I brought my face inches from hers. Her breathing faltered as our foreheads pressed against one another. Her skin burned against my own, but the feeling was nice. To my surprise, she shut her eyes and cupped her hand over my hand that still brushed against her face. She leaned forward herself, to the point where our breaths were becoming intertwined.

I asked with so much confusion. "Is this what friends do?"

She tightened her hold on my hand. "I don't think so…"

Leaning in more, I felt our breaths get closer.

"Prince Zuko!" As if a spell were broken, I felt Crystal and I break apart as reality sunk back in. My hand ripped from her face, and she stepped back in shock. "The Avatar's been spotted! Captain needs you at the helm!"

The annoying guard shouting across the deck was what broke our moment. My skin was on fire, and my hand ached as I stepped farther away from her. She was staring at me with bewilderment, her hand pressing to her cheekbone. What just happened to us? My heart ached for it to happen again, and I had to resist the urge to step up to her once more.

"I…" My voice was stuck in my throat, and I quickly cleared it. Trying to speak again, I managed to say softly, "I better go… Uh… You can find your way back to the room okay, right?"

She nodded, but she continued to stare at me with utter shock. She was just as confused as I was. It was good to know I wasn't alone in these feelings.

"I- I'll see you tomorrow… Don't wait up for me."

Turning on my heel, I left her quickly to head toward the helm. As I went, every ounce of me wanted to turn back and pull her in my arms. What was happening to me? Why did I feel this way?

Katara's words came back to me: _"Wai- wait a second… Don't tell me… You like my sister?!"_

I cringed and sped up to gain some distance between us.

So this was what it felt like to have feelings toward a girl…

 **Crystal POV**

My fingers fiddled with the crystal charm that hung on my neck. My cheek still burned from the memory of Zuko's gentle sudden touch. That was five days ago, but the sensation had still yet to leave me.

Currently we were journeying further north, and I was surprised Zuko had yet to realize where Aang and the others were headed. Iroh told me a few days ago that he came to the conclusion, but it was best neither of us shared our finds with the young prince. The last thing we wanted was Zuko trying to take over the North Pole to get to Aang. We knew he would be no match for such a powerful tribe.

Standing on deck, I could see land in the distance as we stayed on a path in the direction my family and Aang were headed. I wondered if they'd landed to give Appa a break. What was it like journeying with the avatar? What was it like traveling so much on land? I tried to picture what adventures they were probably having. Aang was a goofy kid, so I had a feeling Sokka and Katara were having the most fun they've had in years.

I was proud of them. I was proud of Sokka and Katara for staying by Aang's side. They could've returned to the tribe after Aang was saved from Zuko, but instead they chose to help the Avatar save the world. They were so strong and brave. I on the other hand… I wasn't doing much to help the world… All I was doing was trying not to anger Zuko or get tossed overboard whenever the ship lurched.

I was a useless coward compared to my twin brother and little sister.

"Don't take your eyes off the sky for one minute!" Zuko was shouting orders across the deck to members of his crew. "I want everyone alert for any sign of the Avatar! We're close, so there's no time to laze around!"

The young prince paced back and forth across the deck, troubled by the fact that yesterday we had sight on the Avatar's flying sky-bison, and today we didn't. Once night hit, my family had disappeared in the distance headed toward land. We only briefly caught a glimpse of the giant beast this morning, but they disappeared once more leaving Zuko and his men at a loss. The young prince only took time to eat and sleep four hours, so I could only imagine how tired he really was.

Exhaustion seemed to reveal his temper more and more as the day passed.

Iroh stepped over to Zuko eagerly, who was looking through a telescope for what seemed like the fifteenth time in the last hour. The old man had been staring at the sky a few moments before and looked uneasy about whatever he saw.

"There is a storm coming," he spoke to his nephew. "A big one."

Zuko lowered his telescope, and turned to Iroh skeptic. "You're out of your mind, Uncle. The weather's perfect. There is not a cloud in sight."

He looked back out toward the horizon, continuing to search the sky for his one and only target.

Looking up at the sky, I could see what Iroh was saying. Everything around us was still. The air was dry and there wasn't a bird in sight. Whenever we had snowstorms back at the South Pole it would get like this. There would be a moment of utter silence, and then we'd be pounded by ferocious blizzards. Iroh was right.

"The storm is approaching from the north. I suggest we alter our course and head southwest."

Zuko's fist tightened when he heard his uncle's suggestion. He refused to do such a thing, because it would take him away from his original path. "We know the Avatar is traveling northward, so we will do the same."

I stepped to the side of Zuko to tell him my own feelings on the matter. "Zuko… Maybe Iroh's right… I can feel something too, and my gut doesn't like it. If anything we should at least anchor the ship and wait out what's coming."

"We're not stopping!" Zuko turned sharply to me. "I will not change my mind! The Avatar is heading north, and we will do no different!" His shouts made me grimace. I backed off a bit knowing when Zuko was irritated, the best thing to do was let him cool down.

"Prince Zuko," Iroh began with disbelief. "Consider the safety of the crew!"

Prince Zuko scowled at his uncle again. "The safety of the crew doesn't matter!"

His words shocked me. I didn't like this side of Zuko. I knew the side I saw a few days ago was something rare and still very confusing, but it was better than this demeanor. When Zuko went all gentle and caring on me the other day, I was taken off guard but I was happy. I wanted him to go back to being that kind and gentle young man I was coming to know so well. Currently, he was being stupid and irrational.

I didn't like Zuko's hotheaded side.

A growl came from behind us. The three of us turned to see Lieutenant Jee was glaring daggers at Zuko for what he'd just said. As if to prove his point, Zuko stepped over to Jee and snapped, "Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individual's safety."

His words made my heart ache slightly. I knew he was just clouded by anger and not thinking before he spoke, but his words hit me personally. _Does that mean he doesn't care about my own safety?_ I clutched my necklace in hurt and disappointment. I had hoped maybe Zuko would get some sense in his head when he saw my reaction. However, when he looked my way it was like he was avoiding my gaze completely. He looked past me at some guards who were also glaring at him. He scowled and stomped off, probably to escape the anger he was receiving from his men. Once he was gone inside the ship, slamming the door behind him, Iroh apologized for the tension.

"He doesn't mean that, he's just all worked up."

The crewmen scowled and continued on with their work. Iroh sighed heavily, shaking his head in disbelief. I gripped my necklace harder, wondering how Zuko could go from being so sweet one minute to a total jerk the next. I knew he had a heart, but this determination to capture Aang kept bringing back his stubborn side.

I cared about him and wanted him to be happy. This hotheaded prince was a stranger to me.

"Crystal… Are you alright?"

I frowned when Iroh asked. My answer was a shrug. "I just don't get him… His mood swings drive me crazy. He was so relaxed and kind a few days ago, and now he's back to his cocky evil prince self."

"He just needs to blow off some steam… His anger clouds his judgment so much that all you can do is just give him space."

I nodded, still agonized by the young man who was pouting below deck. Letting go of the necklace, I let it hang once more. "When do you think the storm will hit?"

"Five or six hours. I have a feeling the crew won't be getting much sleep tonight." He started to walk off. "I'm going to alert the captain. You may want to head down below when the storm approaches. It will be a rocky ride."

Once Iroh was gone, I sighed heavily making my way over to the railing. Leaning against it, I stared down at the water with a deep frown. The small waves below would probably be monstrous once the storm hit. I wished there was some way I could assist the men instead of sitting uselessly below. It wasn't right to have everyone working so hard to keep the ship afloat while I sat comfortably out of danger.

I wanted to do something useful for a change.

A few hours passed, and just as Iroh said there were dark clouds on the horizon. Zuko reemerged from below deck, and I could tell he was surprised to find his uncle had been right about the storm. As he started to walk in the direction toward me, five members from the crew stepped in his path. One of them was Lieutenant Jee, and I could tell he wasn't happy.

Jee crossed his arms. "Uh! Looks like your uncle was right about the storm after all."

As if on cue, Iroh walked over with a weak smile. "Lucky guess."

Zuko ignored his uncle, and I could tell the anger that had diminished was returning. "Lieutenant, you'd better learn some respect, or I will teach it to you!" He jabbed two fingers at the man's chest. Iroh shook his head in disbelief.

Jee smacked his hand away. Zuko scowled and walked away from the man toward me. I stayed silent, not wanting to be in the middle of something that could possibly turn into a fight.

"What do you know about respect?" Jee turned sharply toward Zuko with fury. "The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard working crew to your esteemed uncle to even your prisoner shows you know nothing about respect. You don't care about anyone but yourself! Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?"

I cringed at the man's harsh words. Zuko did care… he was just being an idiot at the moment.

Zuko growled and turned toward the man. He prepared to firebend at him, getting into an offensive stance.

"Easy now," Iroh begged.

Zuko paid no heed to his uncle's warning.

"Zuko! Stop!" I rushed over without thinking. He and Jee had stepped up to one another and crossed their fists prepared to duel. I ran straight at Zuko, grabbing his shirt sleeve. "Please! There's no need to fight!"

Not to my surprise, Zuko used his elbow to shove me off of him. I tried to catch myself, but clumsily I fell back landing on my butt hard. My whole body ached as I sat on the deck. My hair fell over my face as I tried to hide the hurt I did end up feeling. Even though I knew Zuko was angry and would shove me off, I mentally wasn't ready for it. It hurt not just physically but emotionally.

Iroh finally stepped in and shoved their fists apart. "Enough! We are all a bit tired from being at sea so long. I'm sure after a bowl of noodles everyone will feel much better."

Zuko stepped back, completely ignoring me as he looked sharply toward Iroh. Jee was already walking away with rage, so he didn't stick around to hear Zuko snap at Iroh, "I don't need your help keeping order on my ship!"

"That may be… But you do need help with your anger! Look what you did to Crystal!"

At Iroh's words, Zuko came to his senses only slightly. He turned and looked down at me with surprise. Then the anger in his eyes started to fade. He grimaced and hung his head in guilt. Walking over to me, he held a hand out to help me up. I just stared at it, my arms too stunned to move. He said nothing to me, and I said nothing to him. I took his hand, but I refused to meet his gaze. He said nothing more to me, and I knew I didn't really have anything to say to him.

He left us then, heading back the way he came. Once he was gone below deck, Iroh let out a heavy sigh. "Stubborn."

Turning away from Iroh, I noticed my vision blur and my chest tighten. Iroh saw my melancholy and stepped over to me. Placing a hand on my shoulder, he said softly, "Don't let it upset you too much, Crystal… He just needs to cool himself down. Are you hurt?"

I shook my head. "No… I'm fine." I pulled from Iroh. "I'm going to walk around the ship until the storm starts."

As I walked away, I heard Iroh sigh heavily once more.

Another hour passed, and the storm-clouds grew darker and closer. I saw the crew was starting to get more anxious as time passed by. I was still sore from Zuko shoving me down, and I tried to tell myself repeatedly he didn't mean it. My mind told me to be mad, but my heart couldn't be bitter toward him.

I was hurt yes… I was frustrated yes… But I couldn't hate him.

I pitied him.

The wind suddenly picked up, and I could tell the water was growing rougher. The crew started to scramble as a terrifying rumble started to be heard in the distance. This would be my first storm that didn't involve snow. I'd heard thunder and seen lightning before, so the noise and flashing in the distance wasn't something foreign (during one rare snowstorm, somehow lightning was created in the mix of the flurries. It was the first time my family ever saw lightning and heard thunder. We were amazed). However, the humid air and the rain I could already feel starting to drop was something different from our storm back at home. I had a feeling I was in for a wild ride.

"Miss! You should head below!" One of the crewmen had caught sight of me, and shot me a warning. "Storms aren't for young girls like you!" He didn't take time to see if I heeded his advice. He rushed off to prepare for the storm that we were breaking into.

I didn't go below deck. In truth, I didn't want to run into Zuko again. I would stay on deck, and I would help keep the ship afloat.

Another thirty minutes passed, and the wind picked up immensely. With the wind came the cold rain. The deck was pounded, and I was soaked to a bone. I made no move to run below for dry ground. Instead I raced to the side of the ship where massive waves were crashing against the starboard side. The ship rocked heavily each time a wave sent it up. I managed to keep balance by freezing my feet to the deck with the rain falling around me. The crew shouted in the background, but I blocked them out trying to concentrate.

Feeling for the element I knew so well, I caught one of the waves with my bending as it shot toward the ship. Quickly, I threw the wave aside to keep it from crashing directly onto the ship. I continued this technique for a few minutes. Some of the crewmen who were securing items on deck, stopped briefly to watch me with awe. Others cheered me on. Then there were a few who were scolding me to get below deck. It seemed for a good twenty minutes I was battling small waves that just crashed harshly into the ship. However, the further north we moved, the harder the rain and wind became.

My vision began to blur, and the ice around my feet continuously cracked. The waves grew much more potent and monstrous. Another wave shot up, and this time it was huge. I knew this one would hit the deck, and I was ready. With all my strength, I shot the water in the wave backward causing it to crash back into the ocean. As I destroyed one wave though, another crashed into the ship hard and the ice around my feet broke again.

I fell back with a shriek, and the next thing I knew a wave hit me. My body slid slightly across the deck, but I managed to freeze the water around my hands to stop my movement. Once the water settled around me, I was quick to melt the ice and stumble back to my feet.

A guard managed to maneuver over to me with concern. "Hey! You've done enough to help! Get below deck kid!"

The ship lurched again, and I felt the wind smash against me at the same time. I gasped as I stumbled back. The guard had stumbled too, only his actually sent him on his belly on the deck. The ship leveled out, and then lurched the other way. As the slope changed direction, I stumbled again trying to catch myself.

A sudden lightning strike smashed against the helm of the ship. The strike was louder than anything I'd heard, and I felt my ears ring from the deafening crash. The guard who had shouted at me earlier, was on his feet again and stumbling to the ship railing. He grabbed hold trying to catch his breath.

"Where were we hit?!"

The sudden shout of Zuko's voice caused me to look across the deck in surprise. Though Zuko was too far to really see through the pouring rain, I could tell it was him and a group of men.

Jee's familiar voice rang out. "I don't know!"

Iroh finally shouted, "Look!"

I wasn't sure what caught Iroh's attention, until Zuko shouted loudly, "The helmsman!"

As their chaos ensued, the ship lurched sharply again, and the guard near me let out a scream. My eyes shot back to him, and I watched in horror as his body disappeared over the railing he'd been clutching for dear life. He'd just fallen overboard!

"No!" Racing over to the rail, I frantically looked over and saw with relief that the guard had grabbed hold of the rail. He was hanging for dear life though, and the waves below looked rough and deadly. "Hang on!"

I quickly froze my feet to the deck again, and then bent over the rail enough to grab his hand. He was surprised, his horrified eyes meeting my own with relief. He was probably late thirties, and he didn't look too heavy. Freezing our hands together, I shouted, "I'm going to pull you up!"

He was amazed by my determination, but he didn't question me. A wave crashed against the ship again, and he gasped grabbing my hand with his other one. I used both of my hands to try and pull his body up. Gritting my teeth, I pulled with all the strength my little arms could find. The guard used his feet to step against the side of the ship and by pure adrenaline I helped hoist him back over the rail. When he was safe, the ice around my feet melted and I dropped to the deck in exhaustion.

The guard spoke in between breaths, his body shaking on all fours. "Thanks… you… saved… my… life…"

I breathed heavily too. "Any… time."

The guard stood shakily again, and stepped over to me. "We- we need to get you below. It's not safe anymore."

I didn't argue this time. He offered his hand, and I eagerly took it. Just as I stood up, and he started to help me across the deck, another wave came out of nowhere and crashed against the opposite side of the ship. As the deck inclined, my wet hand lost grip of the guardsman. The next thing I knew, I was sliding across the deck straight at the railing. My body hit the railing hard, my arm cracking as I used it to shield the side of my head. I cried out as sharp pains immediately radiated through me. Trying to stand back up, I only used one hand because I was pretty sure my right arm was broke.

"No! Stay down!" The guardsman shouted loudly, but as he did a wave crashed again. This time when the ship lurched, it sloped enough that my body flipped over the rail. I gasped as I went airborne, and my body fell toward the crashing waves below.

I had just gone overboard!

I couldn't swim! I refused to drown!

As fear rushed through me, I used my only good arm. Shooting my hand forward, I froze a wave that shot straight toward me and created a solid slide. My body slid down the icy slope, and frantically I created more ice to slide on. Eventually my sliding stopped, and I was stuck lying on a sheet of ice that continuously melted from the warm water below it. It seemed I was freezing the rocky water beneath me for a good solid five minutes. I refused to fall into the water below. I refused to drown and die.

However, my one arm grew tired and the ice below me cracked. The next thing I knew, a wave crashed against me and I was sucked into the sea. My vision turned black as water filled my lungs. I kicked and struggled to resurface, but I didn't know what I was doing. I had no clue how to swim. My lungs burned, and my chest tightened. The water dragged me down as if a million hands were pulling me from air. Then my body felt light as I stopped my struggles and drifted deeper into the darkness. My consciousness left me as the world above drifted further away.


	13. Budding Passion

**Zuko POV**

We'd just saved the helmsman. I felt relieved to know that he was safe on deck. The rest of the crew seemed to be accounted for too. Just as another lightning strike painted the sky, I saw a familiar flying-sky bison shoot straight out of the water in front of our ship. It flew up toward the clouds with swift speed.

I was both amazed and excited. "The Avatar!"

Lieutenant Jee glanced over at me and shouted over the storm, "What do you want to do, sir?"

At first all I wanted was to chase after the brats, but then I came to the realization that it wasn't safe. I finally got some sense as uncle would say. "Let him go. We need to get this ship to safety."

Uncle nodded. "Then we must head directly into the eye of the storm."

Just as Iroh finished his last sentence, the ship lurched sharply. We all stumbled but managed to catch ourselves on the slippery deck. However, as all of this occurred we heard something from behind us. It was a piercing female scream. It was a scream I never imagined I'd hear in such a wild storm. Turning my body completely around, I looked down the ship deck to see one of the guards was standing at the rail looking at something. The ship had leveled out by this point. The same guard at the railing shouted in horror, "Man overboard!"

The crew near me gasped, but I was already running. No one needed to tell me who it was. I already knew. There was only one possible owner of that scream.

Rushing over to the guard, I shouted, "Where did she fall?!"

The guard quickly pointed down below, and I darted my eyes to the raging waters. To my utter amazement, Crystal was still above the water; she had made herself a sheet of ice for a raft. From what I could see though, her raft was being bumped against roughly by waves, and the warm water was melting her flotation device.

"Get me some rope!"

The guards scrambled around at my order, and only a moment later a long rope was tied around my waist. The other end of the rope was secured to a metal mast on the ship. Uncle had come over and was watching the scene before him helplessly. "She's definitely persistent, but she's not going to be able to hold it up much longer. Her ice is getting smaller by the second!"

"I'm diving in," I stated. My heart was pounding a hundred times a minute. Everything was happening so fast. "Pull me up when I have a hold on her!"

As soon as I finished my sentence, Iroh gasped. "Crystal!"

My eyes shot back to the rough sea, but where Crystal's ice had once been there was nothing but water. She'd lost her strength and fell in.

Without hesitating, I raced to the rail and jumped over. I knew how to swim, especially since I'd gone to Ember Island so many times growing up. Diving perfectly into the water, I resurfaced quickly and swam through the pounding waves as fast as I could. My legs and arms burned, but I refused to stop. Crystal was in trouble... I couldn't lose her! I wouldn't lose her!

It was dark, the rain was hard, and I couldn't see anything around me but water. Diving under, salt burned my eyes as I tried to see through the dark endless abyss. I knew she was nearby, but without any light I would never be able to see her. As I began to panic and fear the worse, lightning struck above and light filled my vision. That's when I saw where she was. Or more so, that's when I saw her necklace reflect from the light above.

Her body drifted a few feet in front of me, her hair tangled and floating around her. I didn't take much more time to look over her dark figure. I quickly swam toward her and grabbed her around the waist. Then with one arm and two legs, I kicked us back up to the air we both needed.

Breaking surface, I coughed heavily as my burning lungs took in the oxygen they'd currently been lacking. The rope started to tug against me, and I knew that meant the crew was pulling us back toward the ship. As they did so, I used one arm to pull Crystal's unconscious body against me. The waves continued to pound us roughly, and I held on tighter to her not wanting to let her go.

To my relief, she managed to find her own breath. As she coughed out the sea, I wonder if maybe my arm squeezing against her body was what pushed the water out of her lungs. She gasped for air, her eyes opening but out of focus. She started to kick her body again, and I assumed she still thought she was drowning.

"Hey! It's okay! I got you!"

She stopped kicking, and to my surprise her panic subsided. Coughing up more water again, she fell limp against me and once more went out cold. She was exhausted. She was freezing. She was lucky to be alive. More lightning shot across the sky, and when it did I saw another thing that concerned me: she was pale.

It seemed a good five minutes passed, until finally we were hoisted out of the water and back up toward the ship. I used both of my arms to hold Crystal to me. She was still completely out cold. When we reached the ship rail, three crewmen raced forward to help take her from me and gently place her on deck. Uncle grabbed my own arm and pulled me over the rail too. I stumbled and landed on my knees, my whole body trembling with exhaustion. Ignoring my burning limbs though, I crawled over to the one I was really worried about.

Iroh stepped over just as I reached her, and knelt to press his fingers to the vein on her neck. "Her pulse is weak. We need to get her out of these clothes and check for damage. There's no telling what she injured from the trauma she just faced."

The guard who had originally shouted about her, said over the pounding wind and thunder, "She rolled right into the ship rail. I fear she broke something from the impact."

"Jeez," Lieutenant Jee spoke. "That girl is one determined fighter. She would've frozen the whole ocean if she had the strength to."

The crew began to mutter around us, while I continued to inspect her unconscious body. "Crystal… What the spirits were you doing out here?"

One of the other crewmen spoke up to answer me. "She was fighting off the waves, sir. I saw her. There were a few that would've capsized the boat if it hadn't been for her."

The original guard added in, "She saved my life too. I would've been the one overboard if it hadn't been for her."

Uncle looked straight at me, as I stared at her pale face with horror. "Prince Zuko… We need to take her below. It's safer than being out in this mess." I nodded, knowing he was right. Last thing we needed was her being thrown off the ship again. Soaking wet myself, I managed to place my arm under her back and my other below her knees. Hoisting myself to a stand, I held her close to me as I followed Uncle as quickly as I could below deck.

A few moments later we had her back in the room. A few of the guards had followed behind, each of them drenched from the rain. "Sit her down on the floor first," Uncle stated. "I don't want her on the cot until we have her dry. We need to get her out of this dress."

"Wha-what? Uncle… I don't think-"

I was cut off.

"She has her wrappings underneath. It will be fine," Uncle insisted. "Someone fetch a towel and the ship physician!"

Two men ran out of the room, leaving us with only two other guards. As Uncle went to pull her body up so he could remove her heavily drenched outer clothing, her eyes shot open again. This time it was from pain. Uncle had grabbed her arm to get a grip on her, and we all knew at that moment she had done something to it. She cried out in agony and shoved against Uncle's arm. He jerked his hand away quickly, and Crystal fell backward once her support was gone. Quickly, I jerked my arm behind her back to stop her from hitting the floor. She cringed from the pain she felt, and I could tell her eyes were still out of focus. She wasn't completely conscious quite yet. Her body shivered as the wet on her started to make her sick.

"Crystal… It's okay," Uncle promised. "You're safe now."

Her eyes were barely open, but I could tell she was trying to focus on the world around her. I assumed she was struggling to stay awake.

With Uncle and another guards help, we managed to get her outer clothing off of her. The dress she'd been wearing was in desperate need of a wash since it was covered with salt water. She wasn't completely alert as we did so, but I could tell she was trying to move her one good arm to help us. However, she passed out again from exhaustion, and I had to continue to hold her up.

Once her outer layer was off, I was relieved to see Uncle had been right. She wore white chest-bindings and some white shorts with a skirt. It was pretty common for girls in the Fire Nation to reveal a similar amount of skin, so I tried not to let it bother me. However, I couldn't help but trail my eyes along her frame. She had much more curves than I expected… and her chest definitely wasn't flat…

A smack on the back of my head brought me back to reality. Uncle scolded me. "Forget your teenage hormones for now Prince Zuko!"

The door to the room opened again, and while I rubbed the back of my head a guard came in with a very large towel. Uncle took it quickly from his out stretched hand and wrapped her shivering body inside it. As he did so, I couldn't help but notice something on her stomach, right near her bellybutton. There was another scar, and this one looked much worse than the one on her face. The skin was just like my own. It was a pinker shade and looked rougher than the rest of her body. What horrible experience did this girl go through when she was younger?

Uncle broke through my thoughts. "Get her onto the cot. Is Quan on his way?"

"Yes sir. He's grabbing his supplies," the same guard who brought the towel answered.

I helped move her from the floor to the cot. Placing her carefully down, Uncle grabbed her blanket and pulled it over her. He sighed heavily when she was finally lying peacefully before us. He took her arm as she slept, the one that she'd made fuss over when he grabbed it before. This time he was slower and much gentler.

"How is it?" I asked eagerly with worry. I was kneeling beside Uncle not wanting to leave Crystal for a minute.

"It's definitely swollen. I fear she may have broken her lower arm." He turned his head toward the guards still in the room. "It's alright gentlemen. She's safe now. You can all return to your duties."

We knew he was just trying to push the crowd out of the room. They begrudgingly did so, and soon it was just the two of us and an exhausted Crystal.

"Prince Zuko… You should go dry off. I'll stay by her side."

I shook my head. "No… I'm fine. I'm not leaving her. It's my fault this happened. If I hadn't been so focused on the Avatar we wouldn't have gotten stuck in this storm. Also, I would've noticed Crystal on deck if I hadn't been so blind."

"Be that as it may," Uncle began. "I can't have two sick teens on my watch. Go get on some dry clothes and then you can come right back."

With defeat, I hung my head and stood. As I headed out the room though, I stopped at the door and looked back at Crystal. Her eyes were shut tight and her mouth held a grimace. She must've been in terrible pain. I hated seeing such a strong girl so weak and beaten.

Opening the door, I regretfully left the room to dry off.

 **Crystal POV**

The first thing I felt when I started to come to was an awful headache. The second thing I felt was pain shooting through my right arm. The last thing I felt was a warm hand brushing gently across my face. The repeated sensation lulled me back to sleep only for a moment. When I woke up sometime later on, I found my headache had improved and the soft touch was gone. However, there was still pain through my body that made me want to lie as still as I possibly could.

I wasn't really sure what happened after I fell into the water. As soon as the wave struck me and I went under, I could only remember small details. I remember for a moment I thought I was dead. Then the next I was choking up the sea and gasping for air. I can remember voices, and I recall being carried somewhere. However, the rest was a complete blank.

Opening my eyes slowly, I quickly shut them as light from the room once again burned my vision and caused a pulse in my head. Taking in a few breaths to calm the pain, I opened them again and this time kept them apart. My vision was blurry at first, but slowly the world around me came into focus. When I could finally see, I wasn't surprised to find I was in my room limp on my cot. There were voices out in the hall, which I could vaguely hear.

"...just need you to keep an eye on her."

Another voice spoke, but I couldn't hear that one.

"…I'll be back…I know what I'm doing…"

The door to the room suddenly opened, and I looked over to see Zuko and Iroh step in. When they saw I was awake, they both seemed relieved. Zuko was the first to rush over, and he knelt down beside me placing the back of his hand on my forehead. His hand felt cool, and I felt my eyes start to fall again as my body relaxed.

"She's still warm… Hey… Stay awake…" Zuko's voice felt distant, but I tried to listen and obey. "You need to eat and drink. Then you can sleep."

At the thought of food, my stomach tightened and twisted. Shaking my head, I said hoarsely, "I- I'm not hungry."

This worried Zuko, but Iroh came over and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. The wise man then spoke kindly to me. "Crystal… I know you don't feel well right now, but the only way you'll get better is by eating. Jiho's prepared you some soup in the kitchen. I'll go retrieve it. In the meantime, try and drink some water. You need to hydrate." He held in his hand a canteen, and I saw Zuko take it. "I'll be back in a moment."

Iroh left us then. As soon as he left, the room fell silent. Zuko seemed eager for me to drink something, so the moment Iroh's presence left us the young man was taking the cap off of the canteen. Then a second later, his arm slid under my back and he lifted me up. The movement of my body helped me realize just how weak I actually was. The moment my upper body left the cot, I felt as if gravity was pulling me down with all its strength. My right arm started to shoot with pins and needles, and it took everything I could to not let my head fall back.

The moment the canteen was pressed to my parched lips, I realized then how thirsty I was. Drinking as much as I could, I felt slowly that some of my nausea was starting to fade. When I was done, Zuko managed to lower me once more. I went to move my right arm, but quickly stopped when the pain started up again.

"I'm so relieved," Zuko said softly. "You've been out for two days. We were starting to worry."

As soon as Zuko spoke to me, I remembered once more everything that had happened. Breaking my arm… Falling off the ship… Almost drowning…

Delayed fear suddenly shot through me, and a moment later I started to cry. Shutting my eyes, I could feel the tears pouring down my cheeks. Sobs escaped me and my body trembled as I thought about what could've happened.

I almost died. I could've died.

My family… My tribe… Zuko…

If I died I would've never seen them again.

"Crystal…" Zuko brushed his hand across my forehead and down to my cheek. He wiped a tear with his thumb. "Shh… You're safe now. I'm sorry… This is my fault. You and Uncle were right from the start. We should've headed away from the storm, but I was too blind by determination to listen. You were almost killed because of my foolish decision."

I cried some more, and struggled to breathe as sobs continued to escape me. To my surprise, the young prince suddenly placed his arm around my back again and lifted me once more. This time he carefully pulled me to him so my face could press to his chest. My arm pulsed at the movement, but I ignored the pain as warmth flowed through me.

"Shh… I'm here Crystal… You have nothing to fear."

I cried a little more.

"What were you thinking, staying on deck in such a storm? If that guard hadn't been near you…"

"I know," I muttered. He fell quiet when I finally started to speak. My voice was broken from crying. "I-I just wanted to help… I thought I could handle it… I was stupid to think I could fight a storm… I'm sorry…" I pressed my face hard into Zuko's chest. He ran a hand through my hair to try and soothe me.

Pressing his face into my brown locks, he whispered softly, "Stop apologizing… I know why you did it…" He sighed heavily. "I'm not mad… I'm just frustrated with myself for not realizing you were in danger."

My cries calmed, and instead I took in breaths to try and gather myself.

"But there is one thing I realized through all of this," Zuko said softly.

I relaxed in his hold, and my eyes opened slowly. My throat hurt from crying, but I managed to ask, "What's that?"

He hugged me tighter. "I can't imagine being on this ship without you."

His words surprised me, and I wondered if they surprised him too. My skin burned from his statement, and I knew it wasn't from my fever. His words both flustered and comforted me.

"I remember one thing I thought when I went under," I responded. "Apart from never seeing my family again, I was terrified I would never see you again." My eyes shut once more. "The thought of being dead and never seeing you again made me want to fight harder. Is that how friends feel toward one another?"

Zuko fell quiet in contemplation at this last part. Then he whispered softly, "I don't know… I'm not used to this friend thing."

I smiled weakly. "Guess we're similar in that way."

He let out a heavy breath. "You should lie back down." He helped me lower back to the cot, and I cringed as my arm continued with that same stabbing sensation. Looking at my injury, I saw my arm was wrapped up firmly with gauze to the point where I couldn't move it and it was resting on my upper stomach. He noticed my discomfort and asked if he'd hurt me. I shook my head to let him know it wasn't his fault.

As I lied there, Zuko spoke to me about what I missed while I was asleep. We'd made it to the eye of the storm, and eventually were able to anchor off shore. The next morning, after the ship was checked for damage, we set course once more back on a path northeast. Zuko begrudgingly told me that the avatar's trail had yet to be found. Eventually we reached an area of water that Zhao somehow had authority over, and inevitably Zhao refused to let Zuko's ship leave. He told me he had suspicion that Zhao had the Avatar in custody, and this made me sit up with terror only to cringe in pain. He quickly shoved me back, telling me to stay calm.

"Don't worry… By tonight, the Avatar will be free once more."

I was amazed. "How do you know that?"

He smiled weakly. "Just trust me."

A moment later, Iroh stepped into the room carrying a tray of food and tea.

"Here you are, Crystal. Jiho prepared your favorite Water Tribe dish. I've also put some herbs in your tea that will help your pain."

As he walked over, Zuko smiled kindly to me.

"I'll be going now…" He went to stand. "Get some rest. I'll be back soon."

Just as he started to leave me, I grabbed his wrist with my good hand. He looked down at me in surprise. "Be careful… Whatever you're planning… Please be careful."

He nodded. Taking my hand from his wrist, he pressed it to his mouth. Then the next thing I felt was his soft lips on my knuckles. Shivers ran down my spine as he kissed my hand. I blushed heavily once more.

"I'll be fine…" He dropped my hand then, and brushed another tear from my blazing cheek. "Stop worrying about others and focus on your own health."

He left then, exiting the room to begin his mission. Watching him go, I felt my heart ache the moment he disappeared from my sight. My hand still tingled from his affectionate touch.

Iroh seemed to be beaming when I finally turned my eyes toward him. He said with both thrill and amusement, "And so the buds of love began to blossom."

His proverb finally opened my eyes. My good hand clenched as I realized what was happening to me.

Zuko…

I was falling in love with Zuko.

After I managed to eat some food, and Iroh made sure I was comfortable, I asked Iroh to stay with me until I fell back asleep. I didn't want to be alone worrying about Zuko's safety. Iroh stayed, knowing the herbs he put in my tea would soon take their affect and I would be asleep. As I lied back and tried to get comfortable, I felt my good hand suddenly brush against the scroll I kept on my cot. Grabbing the scroll with shaky hands, I realized that I hadn't marked anything since the day I sparred with Zuko.

Why did I stop…?

I already knew why though… I didn't feel like a prisoner anymore. I didn't hate being on this ship. I stopped keeping track of the days because I was actually happy.

If Sokka knew how I felt, he'd knock me on the side of the head and reeducate me on the enemy.

"Crystal… Are you okay?"

I nodded to answer Iroh. With arms that felt like sea prune-jelly, I managed to hand Iroh the scroll. He took it with question, and opened it curiously. When he saw the sixty-five ink drawn tallies, his eyes widened in surprise.

"You can burn it…" I said softly. My eyes began to drag, and my body felt like it was sinking into the cot. "I don't need it anymore…"

My eyes finally shut, and my consciousness began to leave me. The last thing I heard, was Iroh say softly, "You're one interesting young woman…" Then peaceful sleep took me over.

 **Zuko POV**

My head was killing me when I came to. The last thing I remember was managing to get the Avatar across the bridge away from the prison stronghold. We'd both convinced Zhao to open the gate, especially when I placed one of my dual blades against the twelve-year old bald monk's throat. At first he thought I was going to hurt him, but he caught on quickly and didn't freak out. Once we were just at the end of the bridge, an arrow shot out of nowhere and hit me straight on my mask. I'd blacked out from impact.

Opening my eyes, I saw through blurred vision it was sunny outside. Morning… I'd been gone all night!

Managing to look at my surroundings, I saw through the blinding light that I was in the forest safe from Zhao. My mask was on the ground beside me. Then my eyes shot to a tree root across from the one I was slumped against.

The Avatar sat cross legged on the root, his eyes staring down at the ground below him. He had perfect balance. When he saw I was awake, he began to speak.

"You know what the worst part about being born over a hundred years ago is? I miss all the friends I used to hang out with." The Avatar was having a full blown conversation with me. I had no clue why. "Before the war started, I used to always visit my friend Kuzon. The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I ever had…" He looked at me with hope as he continued. "…and he was from the Fire Nation, just like you. If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?"

My brow twitched. Friends… The Avatar…

I scowled at the thought. Tightening my hand in a fist, I shot fire at the young boy who easily jumped up and out of the way. He landed swiftly on another root near us.

"Wait…" He held his hands up in surrender. I managed to get to my feet as he spoke some more. "Before you scare me off, I just need to ask for my friends… How's Crystal?"

His question surprised me for a moment. I grimaced at the memory of her frail body lying in so much pain on the cot back in our room.

The Avatar noticed. "What? Is she okay?" He gripped his staff with worry.

Grabbing my mask from the dirt, I didn't meet his eyes. "She's fine… We had a small mishap, but she was looked over and is recovering."

The Avatar sounded horrified. "What mishap?!"

I sighed heavily, wishing more than anything I was back with Crystal and not having this conversation. "That storm we were in a few days ago… she fell overboard… I managed to jump in and save her. She woke up yesterday and other than a broken arm she's fine."

The Avatar's staff was suddenly touching my chin, and I was shocked to see he was suddenly a foot away and his eyes were enraged. I froze in both amazement and uncertainty. He scowled, and I could tell he was trying to sound intimidating. "Listen here, Prince Zuko…" His tone turned heavy and dark. The young child in him seemed to disappear for a moment. "Sokka and Katara are like family to me, and that means Crystal is too! If I find out again that she's been hurt under your care, I won't be as forgiving!" He lowered his staff and jumped away from me back on a root. "We'll get Crystal back from you! Once I master all four elements, my friends and I won't hesitate to fight you and get her back."

I grimaced at the spite he was throwing toward me. However, I stood my ground with tight fists. My teeth grit at the thought of losing Crystal. "And I won't hesitate to fight back."

He turned sharply and jumped up in the trees. Right before he took off from the limb he landed on, he shouted down at me, "You better take care of her!"

"And you better run before I try to capture you!"

He glared, and then took off through the forest disappearing from my line of sight. Once he was gone, and quiet surrounded me, I sighed heavily and turned to make my way back to the ocean bank. I refused to let _anyone_ take her away from me.

When I got back to the ship two hours later, I was exhausted and made my way back to my room. The workers on the ship were amazed when they saw my all black outfit and the mask in my hand. As I rounded the corner of the hall, I almost ran into Uncle who was coming from my room. He held in his hand some old bandages and a rag.

"Prince Zuko… You were out pretty late."

I ran a hand over my eyes to try and brush the sleep from them. "How is she?"

Uncle wasn't surprised that was the first thing I asked. "She's doing fine. I got her to eat some breakfast just now. She still has a small fever, so I gave her some more herbs. She's just falling asleep. You may be able to catch her before she's completely gone." I nodded and started to head to the room. Uncle stopped me though, asking, "We're you able to accomplish what you set out for?"

Nodding, I answered, "Yeah… I was…"

He seemed to ponder this. "Hmm… Well that's good." He handed something to me then, and I looked at the scroll with question. "Crystal said we can burn it. I'll let you have the honor." Nodding, I took it with curiosity. What was she so ready to destroy?

Uncle left me then, singing softly as he went, "Winter, spring, summer, and fall… four seasons… four loves… four seasons… four loves…"

As his voice faded, I opened the scroll and was surprised to find it was the parchment she was writing tallies on. She'd been keeping track of the days of her imprisonment. She'd wanted to do so to keep time and count how long she'd been away from her family. Every tally was a day that symbolized her imprisonment.

Burn it…?

If she wanted us to burn it, that could only mean one thing…

She didn't feel like a prisoner anymore.

I filled with elation at this realization. She was happy on the ship with us. She enjoyed being with me.

Lighting a flame, I burned the paper and watched as it became nothing but ash. The ash floated to the ground at my feet.

She wasn't my prisoner anymore. She was Crystal… A girl I cared about and wanted to see happy.

The Avatar had nothing to worry about. I would protect her to my best ability. I loved her too much to lose her.

There! I admit it!

Love… I loved her.

A few minutes later I entered my room and found I hadn't been fast enough. Crystal was out cold on the cot again, but I could tell her skin was returning to its smooth tan self. Her breathing sounded ten times better too, and I could see she was much more relaxed than when I left. Her splinted arm was cushioned on some extra fabrics placed to her side, and her lips were parted slightly as she dreamed on.

Kneeling beside her, I couldn't resist the urge to brush my hand through her soft wavy hair. As I pushed a few strands aside from her face, I said softly, "Sorry I was gone so long." Leaning down, I kissed her lightly on her right temple. My lips on her warm skin sent an odd sensation through me. I quickly pulled away trying to figure out what I was doing, but immediately wanted to do it again. Resisting the urge, I stood and backed from her cot.

The Avatar's words came back to me.

I heeded his advice. "I'll protect you, Crystal. I won't ever let anything hurt you again… I promise."


	14. Two Worlds Apart

**Here's the next chapter. I hope you all really like it!**

* * *

 **Crystal POV**

My arm rested in the sling Iroh had helped tie around me earlier. It was pretty busted and still hurt like crazy. It had been a week since the storm, and we were still headed a path north. Zuko finally realized on his own where the Avatar was headed, coming to the conclusion that Aang was trying to find a master waterbender. What better place to find one than at the North Pole.

Currently the ship was docked at a trading town, where a group of crewmen left to go buy some supplies. While they were gone, Zuko and Iroh decided to go train some below deck in meditation. Iroh asked if I wanted to come, but I knew my presence would only distract them both. I just smiled and told them to go on without me. They did so, although Iroh reminded me before he went that I needed to take my medicine before lunch. I nodded to let him know I would.

Being alone on deck, I was able to think as I walked along the edge of the ship and stared out at the town before me. My good hand slid along the rail as I went. Humming, I watched as the town's people walked back and forth going about with their daily business. They looked like small creatures from where I stood. Time seemed to drift by as I idled about on deck.

"Hey… You should head down below," my good guard friend Hul stated. "You need to take the herbs."

Rolling my eyes, I turned to Hul with kindness. "Stop worrying all the time. A broken arm isn't all that bad."

Ever since the storm, Hul had been eager to keep an eye on me. He told Iroh and Zuko he wanted to repay me for saving his life the other day. Hul had been the one I helped from falling overboard. He felt bad for not protecting me in return, and wanted to make up for it. When Iroh informed me Hul would look after me when he and Zuko weren't around, I was both surprised and grateful. The guard wasn't bad company to have around.

He didn't seem reassured. His dark brown eyes continued to appear unsettled. "Broken limbs can remove even the strongest men from war. My father was discharged when he broke his leg during a battle."

I grinned. "Lucky for me, I'm not a man."

A bird suddenly landed on the rail nearby. It was pure white with piercing black eyes. Its beak was black and it was no larger than my hand. It whistled a tune and hopped slightly on its perch. I gasped at its beauty, and silently stepped closer to it. The bird cocked its head when it heard my movement, but it made no move to fly off.

"A pebble-swan," Hul stated from behind me. "They're common in these parts."

I beamed as I watched the bird use its beak to ruffle its feathers. "I've never seen one before."

"It must be strange," he began. "I heard rumor that all you've ever known is the South Pole. Traveling across the world must be an exciting experience for you."

I nodded, my eyes still set on the beautiful bird near me. "Yeah… It's been a pretty wild ride these last few months."

Hul chuckled. "Yes it has." He stepped over to the railing as silently as he could. He also didn't want to scare the bird away. "You know… I have a daughter close to your age. I haven't seen her for three years now…" He sighed heavily. "Maybe that's why I worry about you so much. You remind me of her."

Curious about Hul, I asked, "Do you want to go home?"

He hung his head. "One day I will… There's no point going home with nothing to show for it though. I must help Prince Zuko on his quest if I am to earn honor and be acceptable to my family."

Grimacing, I gripped the rail with my good hand. "You know… there's more to life than just pleasing others. I know why you really won't go home… you think you'll be a disgrace to the Fire Lord."

His head bent more. "You have a very perceptive mind, Miss Crystal."

"Can I ask you something?" He nodded to answer. "Why is everyone in the Fire Nation so willing to follow the Fire Lord? Don't they care about the lives they're destroying in the process?"

"Some do…" He stared down at the town. "Others are just extremely loyal to him. He is a good leader. I respect the man."

My heart turned hard. I scowled. "Respect… that man doesn't deserve respect…" My eyes watered. "He's taken so much from me… Not to mention he's hurt his own child." My grip on the rail tightened. "That man is a monster who will only destroy this world."

"It's best to keep those opinions to yourself while on this ship, Crystal. Some may not look past such talk."

"They should expect it from me… I'm still Water Tribe no matter how long I've been on this ship. I'm not going to change my loyalties." I hung my head. "I'm going to head back to my room to take my medicine. My arm's starting to hurt."

As I walked away, I heard Hul let out a heavy breath. He followed me to escort me to my room. However, as we were just reaching the door to the inside of the ship, a terrifying growl suddenly sounded from behind us. The both of us whirled around just in time to see a massive beast jump up on deck. It hit the steel boards hard and caused us to stumble.

"Everyone step aside!"

Riding on the back of the beast was a woman of perhaps late twenties to early thirties. She was very thin and pretty, with jet black hair and piercing green eyes. She wore a tight black sleeveless outfit, and had a tattoo on her left shoulder. The beast she road on was known as a _Shirshu_. I'd read about it in one of Iroh's books. It was a huge furry animal with a long tail, a star shaped nose, sharp teeth, and no eyes. From what I recalled the _Shirshu_ was known for its lack of sight but ability to see through smell.

The crew scrambled and pulled out their weapons ready to fight the woman if she tried to attack. Hul grabbed my good arm and pulled me behind him as he yanked out his own spear. The door behind us opened only a moment later, and Zuko ran out followed by Iroh. They both faltered when they saw our intruder.

"Hey!" Zuko stomped forward. "Get off my ship!"

She pulled on her beast's rein to keep it from attacking us. "Get back! We're after a stowaway."

The beast started to sniff the air again, and then pressed its nose to the steel deck. It proceeded to smash its powerful claws against the deck then, and created a huge gaping hole in the structure. As the beast stuck its head inside the hole, I saw Zuko was enraged by the damage done to the ship. We'd just gotten some repairs, and it seemed we'd have to get more.

The beast pulled its head out of the hole again, and a second later an older man in torn clothing pulled himself out of the hole. My eyes widened at his presence, and I was amazed when the _Shirshu_ shot its very long tongue toward him. The man tried to run, but as soon as the tongue hit him he fell to the deck paralyzed. The woman patted her beast to congratulate it. Then she slid off with a smirk.

Zuko was amazed. "He's paralyzed!"

She stepped over to the man who stared over at her with horror. He was immobile and couldn't escape. "Only temporarily." She grabbed the man and lifted him over her shoulder with ease. My jaw dropped at her strength. "The toxins'll wear off in about an hour. But by then he'll be in jail and I'll have my money."

He was curious to know more. "But how did you find him on my ship?"

With her free hand, she stroked the muzzle of her beast. "My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away." She maneuvered herself easily on the beast's saddle and placed the limp body of her capture in front of her.

Iroh seemed in awe at not just the creature, but its rider. "Well, I'm impressed."

She snapped a whip at the beast then, and it charged away jumping easily off the ship and onto the dock. As it disappeared, I could tell Iroh wasn't the only one admiring the woman that left. Zuko seemed contemplative as the presence of the beast left us.

"Very impressed," Iroh said as he stroked his chin. "That was quite a talented young woman."

Zuko turned to us with determination. "Yes… And she's just what I need to track down the Avatar."

My eyes widened. Stepping around Hul, I asked. "Wait! You don't really think that woman's going to help you, do you?"

He was surprised by my question. He recovered though and turned his lips up with certainty. "The woman just caused damage to my ship. I think I can convince her to do my bidding."

I frowned. "Zuko… Is this really necessary?"

He stepped over to me, and I saw his excited eyes soften. He placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Don't worry… I won't hurt any of them. The Avatar is the only one I want. Once I have him, your brother and sister will be released."

His words didn't really reassure me. My arm started to pulse terribly, reminding me I still hadn't taken my medicine. I instinctively rubbed my lower arm to try and soothe the pain. The touch only made the stabbing sensation intensify.

"Come on," Zuko began, noticing my discomfort. "I'll walk you back to our room."

Silently, I followed Zuko below deck back down the hall feeling nothing but worry for my family. If this Shirshu managed to lead Zuko to Aang, then not only would Zuko's surprise appearance take Aang off guard, but the Avatar would have to also dodge a venomous tongue.

We weren't even halfway to our room, when suddenly I grabbed Zuko's shirt sleeve to stop him from walking. He turned to me with question.

Hanging my head, I stared at the floor not wanting to meet his eyes. "Please think about what you're trying to do Zuko… Is capturing Aang and returning home really the only thing you want? You could be happy somewhere else in the world."

When the young prince pressed his hand to my chin and forced me to lift my head, I wasn't surprised to see the agony and determination etched across his features. "Crystal… This is the only way I can be happy. I don't belong out here. I should be in the Fire Nation, helping to build my nation. Instead, I'm trapped journeying through land I don't belong, surrounded by my enemy everywhere I go."

I grabbed his hand suddenly, holding it firmly in my grasp. He was amazed when my warmth radiated through his skin. "It doesn't have to be that way… You can come with me, and we can join the Avatar! If you help the world's last hope, then you won't be the enemy anymore! Going home will only send you back to square one… The Fire Lord may welcome you back, but what's to say a few years later you anger him again? He'll just punish you once more and banish you from home. Is that really happiness? You'll have to walk on your tiptoes for the rest of your life…"

"You're wrong… My father isn't the man you think he is. He will accept me with open arms and never banish me again. Delivering the Avatar to him will earn me more honor than even his finest Admiral. You don't know my father like I do."

My eyes fell from Zuko once again. I released his hand and let my own fall to my side. "I know one thing about him that you don't..."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Zuko's hand tighten in a fist. "Yeah… And what's that."

"He's a coward."

The hall fell silent for a moment. I shut my eyes knowing I'd gone too far. However, I didn't mind saying it. I was glad to finally get it off my chest.

"Maybe you should be reminded of what coward means," Zuko spoke, his tone tight as he tried not to yell at me.

Falling back against the wall, I still refused to meet his eyes. "I know what it means. A coward is someone who during the face of danger, opposition, and unpleasant situations, hides behind a wall of protection and does away with anything that might harm him. Tell me, Prince Zuko… When's the last time your father ever left his luxurious palace to go fight alongside his men?"

There was silence from Zuko.

I continued. "Your uncle told me stories about his own battles in Ba Sing Se, and the trials and tribulations he had to face for his people. Iroh is a strong and brave man, who was willing to leave the comforts of his home to fight a battle your father fearfully stayed away from. When I hear stories about your father from not just the crew, but my own people, I don't ever hear anything special about him. What battles has he fought in? How many injured soldiers has he visited in the years of his reign? For a Fire Lord, he sounds more like a weak man in the background who lets others do his bidding. I don't understand why you want to return to a man like that."

A hand suddenly smashed into the steel wall beside me. I froze as suddenly Zuko had me sandwiched between him and the wall. He was frustrated, and he was trying all he could not to yell at me. "My father is _not_ a coward. He is Fire Lord. There is no reason for him to fight at war if there are so many willing to do it for him. You have no room to act like you know him _anymore_ than I do! You better hold your tongue when it comes to this matter, or I will hold it for you!"

His tone had turned dark. I was honestly wary of his sudden mood change. However, I refused to let Zuko bully me into submission. He would not scare me. "Go ahead and try. You shouldn't expect anything different from me, Zuko. I _am_ Water Tribe, and that will never change. In my eyes the Fire Lord will always be a weak, hateful, and cowardice man who only wants power. He may accept you home one day, but he won't ever love you."

Zuko growled. His face inched toward me. "What do _you_ know about _love_?"

My eyes looked toward Zuko with pity. "I know it's _not_ something you'll find at home."

He scowled. "Then where will I find it?" He leaned closer. He lost his cool and was yelling. "Surely not in the earth kingdom of all places! I haven't known love since my mother went missing!" My heart ached at the pain in his tone. "How could you possibly think I could find this love anywhere else besides home?!"

Tears started to fall from my eyes. They weren't tears from my own pain or fear. They were tears for Zuko's pain and fear. I lost my cool as well."You already have it!" I shut my eyes tightly. "If you would just open your eyes for one damn second you would see it right in front of you!"

He grabbed my chin and forced me to look up again. I kept my eyes closed though. He snapped with irritation, "What are you talking about?!"

Shooting my eyes open, I shouted back with irritation, "Me, you idiot! I love you!"

As soon as the confession escaped me, I immediately stopped speaking and my blood went cold. My tense shoulders slumped, the hand I'd tightened into a fist fell away, and I bit my lip realizing my slip.

Zuko lowered his hand from my chin, and I couldn't figure out what emotions he had spiraling through him at the moment. He seemed at a loss for what to say though. The tense air between us faded slightly, and I knew then that Zuko was no longer angry. He was utterly bewildered. We seemed to stand there for a long minute in silence, neither of us knowing what to do or say.

Finally, Zuko broke the pause. His voice had returned to the soft confused young man I'd come to know over the weeks.

"Crystal…"

Embarrassed, I tried to move past him to make a run for the room. I didn't want him to see my face; the blush was worse than it had ever been before. I'd just confessed my feelings to Zuko. I'd just admitted to him that I'd fallen in love with him. I was too embarrassed to face him. I had to escape.

However, as I tried to slide past him, he grabbed my good arm and pulled me back. He forced me to return to my previous position; my back was against the wall once more. Then he leaned toward me so our noses were only a centimeter from touching.

"Le-let me go!" I tried to jerk my arm from him, but in the process his body stepped closer. Our noses touched, and electric shocks went through my spine. "Zuko… I- I need to-"

He cut me off. My voice was stopped as something warm suddenly pressed against my lips. My eyelids dropped as Zuko's breath could be felt in my mouth. His breath tasted like mint tea. He pressed harder as his kiss intensified. My head started to go dizzy from what I assumed was lack of air. My shoulders fell back on the steel as Zuko forced me against the wall. His other hand slid behind my head and tangled in my hair, pulling my lips even more against his own. His eyelids were slightly shut as well, and I could see through my slight vision he was enjoying the kiss as much as I was.

For both of us, this was our first kiss. However, for Zuko's first kiss he definitely knew what he was doing. I'd always wondered about kissing a guy for the first time. When I was younger, I imagined my mystery love would be a strong warrior from the tribe. However, it appeared fate had a strange way of smacking me in the face. For some strange and unforeseeable reason, I had fallen in love with Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. If my brother and sister saw me, I'd be locked in a cage for the rest of my life.

His hand suddenly trailed from the back of my head to the side of my face. We hadn't broken our passionate kiss yet, and the feeling of his skin trailing along my own made me want to stay with him longer. As his thumb brushed against my scar, I leaned forward more wishing his touch could last forever. His breaths slowed, and I felt his lips start to pull from me. When he finally broke our kiss, I was breathing heavily and my head spun a thousand miles a minute.

We both tried to catch our breath, our foreheads resting against one another. As I tried to find reality once more, Zuko's hand cupped my cheek shooting more warmth through me.

"You're right… I did need to open my eyes…" He breathed out heavily. "I've been feeling so much these last few weeks, especially when it comes to you." Our eyes met one another, and his amber orbs burned into mine. "I've been confused over it all, but I finally understand…"

He kissed me again, but this time it was softer and gentler. His affectionate touch sent shocks through my body, and I wished the new sensation never had to end. When he pulled away, he whispered with deep sincerity, "I love you too."

His confession sent my heart pounding faster than ever before. Unable to hold back, I reached up and pressed my hand to his face. He leaned into my palm with a sigh. His eyes shut, and his warm hand overlapped my own. As we stood there, both unable to understand how two people of such different worlds could ever love one another, I couldn't help but think what my family would say.

If they saw me, showing such affection and love towards the prince of our enemy, they would be greatly disappointed in me.

 _"The Fire Nation is our enemy! Don't ever forget that you three! Those monsters killed your mother!"_

My father's sudden words shot through my mind. My lips turned down into a grimace as I realized something suddenly. What was I thinking…? No matter how much I loved Zuko, my family would never accept him…

 _"If a firebender ever crosses my path, I'll make sure he's buried ten feet under my snow!"_

My sister's rage made my stomach ache.

 _"Those monsters! I'll kill them all! If one dares to touch either of you I'll wring him through with my spear!"_

Sokka's threat caused my hand to shake against Zuko's cheek. He opened his eyes and stared at me with worry when he felt my trembling skin against him. "Crystal… Are you-"

"I'm fine," I cut off softly, giving him the most fabricated smile I could muster.

I was pained that my family's words ruined a moment I never wanted to end. Taking my hand away from him, I stepped back trying to hide the agony I feared my expression would reveal.

"I- uh... I should take my medicine," I said softly. "My arms starting to ache."

Turning, I went to step away to head to our room. My eyes burned and I hung my head conflicted between my family and my heart. Zuko grabbed my shoulder though to stop me from escape. "Did I do something wrong?"

My hand instinctively slid over his and gripped tightly. I enjoyed his warmth, and hated that our worlds were too far apart. My eyes threatened to spill tears I didn't want to shed. "It's not you… I just had a thought."

"A thought?"

Releasing his hand, I dropped my own down to my side. Turning back toward Zuko, I gently placed my hand under my broken arm wishing I could cross them for comfort. He stared at me with question. "I just realized, that these feelings we share…" I hung my head. "These feelings can't work for us… You're a prince and I'm…" I hung my head more. "I'm just your prisoner… your prisoner who will be rewarded to your father once you capture the Avatar."

I didn't see his expression, but the hall fell silent. The only sound was our breathing and the flicker of the torches lit around us.

Finally, Zuko's broken and conflicted voice echoed through the hall. "It doesn't have to be that way…" Zuko tried to reason with himself more than me. "I'll tell my father you helped me capture the Avatar... He'll reward you, and you'll be a guest in the palace."

Shaking my head, I felt a tear escape my eye and fall down my scarred cheekbone. "I won't let you do that. The Fire Lord is no man I want to be a guest to Zuko. I'd rather rot in a prison than be praised for such a horrible deed… besides… Your father would never believe that. All he'll see me as is a waterbender who needs to rot away in a cell."

More silence passed between us.

Zuko sighed heavily. He ran a hand through his hair in both frustration and uncertainty. "So what about the kiss… Did it mean nothing?"

I blushed. My lips still tingled from our moment of bliss. "Of course it did!" Wiping the wet trail from my lost tear, I felt more tears take its place. "It was the best moment of my life!" I paused, my blush intensifying. "But that's all it can be…" My lips trembled and I tried to drop my hair over my face. "I love you Zuko… I know that now…" I took a heavy breath. "But we can't ever be together. Our people are sworn enemies, and we're two worlds apart."

"I'll find a way," he whispered suddenly. "This is the happiest I've been in three years… I won't lose you."

"That won't be your choice in the end," I insisted.

He took my hand suddenly and pulled me toward him a step. His other hand brushed away a few of the tears that spilled to my chin. "I'll find a way…" He leaned forward and kissed me gently on the forehead. His soft touch only made my heart ache for him. When he pulled away, it took every ounce of restraint I had to not jump forward and kiss him again. "Come on... You should go take your medicine now."

Nodding, slightly lightheaded by the blood pumping through me, I turned and made my way back down the hall. Zuko followed behind me in silent thought.

A few hours later Zuko and his Uncle left to go find the bounty hunter whom we'd previously met. While they were gone, I spent some time in our room thinking over what had occurred between me and Zuko.

Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation had kissed me… He had kissed me and I kissed him back… If my family learned about my actions, they would not be pleased. However, my family's disapproval only made me desire to be with Zuko more. After everything I'd been through with him, I loved him enough to be willing to take the risk. But… I knew deep in my heart the risk would be a waste. Zuko would return home to the Fire Nation, I would be thrown in a cell, and the both of us would one day be separated forever.

There was no way I could ever be with him.

A waterbender and a firebender… No one would accept us...

 **Zuko POV**

My mind was racing as June guided her beast across the Earth Kingdom toward the Avatar. I wasn't even thinking about the fight I would have to face in time. I wasn't thinking about capturing the Avatar. All I could think about was Crystal.

The moment of affection we shared with one another was one I hadn't wanted to stop. It was the first time I'd kissed a girl before, and I was glad my first had been with her. That kiss was magical and one I would remember for years to come. Her breath tasted like Jasmine tea and her lips were so soft on my own. The thought of the kiss made me only want to do it again.

However, her words did return to me and break my blissful thought.

 _These feelings can't work for us… You're a prince and I'm… I'm just your prisoner… your prisoner who will be rewarded to your father once you capture the Avatar._

Hanging my head, I knew deep down Crystal was right. Once I captured the Avatar, we would be headed back towards the Fire Nation. Even if I could convince my father to not imprison Crystal, we couldn't be together; at least not in the public eye. If word got around that the Fire Prince was in love with a waterbender, my father would not be pleased. The last thing I wanted was to anger him again.

So then what options did I have…?

Go back to treating her as a prisoner and forget my feelings toward her?

I could never do that. I loved her too much...

Leave her behind once I have the Avatar, and let her return to her family?

The thought of being separated from her made my heart ache...

Convince my father to let her be my servant once we returned to the palace?

There was no way Crystal would cooperate with that for a second...

A deep sigh escaped me. Uncle looked back at me with question and I quickly looked at the trees passing beside us. The last thing I needed was his wisdom. I needed to sort my thoughts out on my own.

"What's up with you Prince Pouty?"

June had heard my sigh. I scowled and held onto the Shirshu's saddle tighter. "I'm fine!"

She looked back at me briefly, and then turned her eyes back in the direction we were headed. "Let me guess. Nervous about catching up to your girlfriend. Just give her back her necklace and I'm sure she'll be swooning for you in no time."

Her joking only made me irritated. "I told you I don't want the girl! She isn't my girlfriend! I just want her companion!"

She shrugged. "Whatever. No need to get so defensive. Besides, that girl back on your ship is pretty enough to be your girlfriend anyway. Maybe you should give the necklace to her instead."

At June's mention of Crystal, I fell silent once again. I wanted Crystal to be my girlfriend so much, but I knew she was right. There was no way we could be together as long as my one goal was to capture the Avatar. A waterbender and a firebender in love would only make my father and others in the Fire Nation laugh.

"So you do like the girl?"

June broke through my thoughts again, and I wished she would just shut up.

I scowled. "That's none of your business."

She laughed. "Defensive, huh? Doesn't really matter to me, anyway. Your love life is your love life."

The rest of the ride was silent as the beast continued to follow the scent of Crystal's sister.

 **Crystal POV**

The sound of a door swinging open was what brought me out of the book I was reading. Looking up, I watched as Zuko entered the room looking tired, beaten, and worn. He kept silent as he started to undo his armor. I knew from the look of defeat on his expression, that once again my family and the Avatar had escaped him. Although I was thrilled they were still okay, I felt really bad for Zuko. He was trying so hard to capture Aang, and I knew the task was beginning to weigh him down.

"Sorry for startling you," Zuko said softly. He dropped his armor on the floor carelessly making a loud sound echo through the once silent room. When he was back in his casual wear, he walked over to me with exhaustion. "What are you reading?"

I smiled weakly. "It's just a book of poems. Hul gave it to me."

He nodded and sat down beside me at the table where the book was open. He picked up the book and examined the poem I'd been reading when he walked into the room. He seemed thoughtful as he stared over the words. "I used to read poetry all the time with my mom."

Nodding, I said, "It can be a relaxing way to pass time. My Gran-Gran would recite poems to us. She said she learned hundreds when she was younger, and made sure the ones she loved stuck in her mind."

Zuko stayed quiet as he looked absently at the poem. I wondered if he was even reading it, or just trying to avoid my eyes.

"Sorry I was gone for so long… Your brother and sister managed to blind the Shirshu and it paralyzed me."

I cringed at the thought of being hit by that awful tongue. "You'll have another chance Zuko…" I reached over with my good hand and gently touched his shoulder. He hung his head as soon as I touched him and lowered the book. "I know you will. Just be patient."

His hand suddenly slid over my own, and I felt comfort at his warm touch. "I know… I'm just so tired of losing."

I wanted to say something else to comfort him, but I didn't really know what else to say. While I was sorry for Zuko and his continuous defeat, I was also relieved he still had yet to capture the world's last hope. As much as I cared about Zuko and wanted him to be happy, I also wanted Aang to be safe. I was rooting for Aang a hundred percent, and for some reason that made me feel guilt. I wasn't rooting for Zuko at all. Last time I checked, loving someone meant supporting them. I didn't support Zuko in this endeavor.

"I'm going to get some sleep," Zuko said softly. He placed the book back on the table. I took my hand away from him hating to see him so beaten. "Uncle's up on deck if you want to play Pai Sho or something. The ship should be setting off in an hour or two."

He stood from the table and headed over to his cot. Plopping down on it, he immediately started to drift. No more than five minutes later, Zuko was out cold. Silence filled the room, and I stared over at his back with sympathy. I wanted to assure him it would be alright, but I didn't know how true that would be in the future.

Standing from the table, I headed over to my cot and grabbed the blanket from it. Zuko was lying on top of his own blanket, too tired to crawl under. Heading silently over to him, I knelt beside him and draped the blanket over his body. He didn't move, but instead sighed at the warmth that wrapped around him. As he sank deeper into his sleep, I couldn't help but lean over and kiss him softly on the cheek. He looked so young and peaceful.

When I pulled away, I said softly, "Sweet dreams, Zuko."

Then silently I rose from the floor, headed towards the door, and made my way into the hall of the ship. As the door shut behind me, I leaned back against it feeling my eyes burn with tears. I hated seeing Zuko so defeated. I hated that I couldn't help him. However, I wouldn't betray Aang. I wouldn't betray my people.

As much as I loved Zuko, I also refused to watch the world be destroyed.


	15. Heal Me

About two weeks passed since the whole Shirshu incident, and we were just reaching the northern edge of the Earth Kingdom. I felt myself tremble as I stood on deck. The farther north we grew, the colder it felt. The temperature's made me slightly homesick, but at the same time the warmer air in the Earth Kingdom had been pretty nice.

While I stood on deck, I stared down at my arm which was still wrapped in some tight bandages. It had healed pretty well over the last two weeks, but Iroh encouraged me to keep it mended for a little while longer. There was still a break inside it, and he didn't want me to cause any further damage. Even though I couldn't use my right arm, I was able to bend with my left. Iroh let me practice my waterbending up on deck during days when Zuko was busy in meditation. It was always nice to be able to bend my element again.

As I stood by the rail, I heard footsteps approach me. Then a moment later a body came and stood beside me. "I was wondering where you ran off to," Zuko began. "Aren't you cold?"

I smiled. Turning to him, I answered, "I grew up in the South Pole my whole life. The cold doesn't bother me."

He nodded. His hands grabbed onto the railing as he leaned forward a bit. His eyes stayed on the horizon before us. "I wonder if the North Pole is like your home… I've never been there before…"

Frowning, I hung my head. "I doubt it. The Northern Water Tribe is a powerful civilization. From what my father has told us, they are well off and have no need to fear the Fire Nation. Their forces are strong, and so is their walls."

Zuko sighed. "Well, I'm not planning on starting a war against them. My only plan is to sneak in their borders, snatch the Avatar , and make my way back to the ship. Last thing I want is a fleet of waterbenders flinging icicles at me."

"Yeah… You know us waterbenders can be vicious," I joked. He smiled at my comment, his amber orbs shooting toward me.

"I definitely do after battling your sister so many times."

At the mention of Katara, I grimaced and hung my head again. It had been so long since I'd seen my brother and sister. It felt like so many months had passed since we'd last spoke. If I ever saw them again, I wasn't sure how they would react. Would they forgive me for never telling them about my abilities? Would they accept me for falling for the Fire Prince? Would they hate me for not trying harder to escape?

We used to be so close when we were younger, but being away from them made me feel like we were worlds apart.

"You miss them a lot, don't you?"

Nodding, I smiled weakly staring at the water below. "We're family. No matter what, I'll always be worried and miss them. It's just my nature." I looked over at him with question. "Do you miss your dad and sister?"

My question took him off guard. For a moment he didn't answer and I wondered if I'd gone too far. However, he finally let out a hard breath. "Hard to say… I know I miss home, but I can't say for certain I miss dad and Azula. After three years at sea, I honestly haven't missed being their punching bag."

I nodded in understanding. Contemplating what he said, I knew asking my next question could earn some tension but I was prepared. "Then can I ask you again… why do you want to go home so bad?"

Zuko answered calmly and easily. "If you were banished from your home at the South Pole, wouldn't you want to return?"

His question stumped me. I knew he was right. The Fire Nation had been the only place Zuko knew for thirteen years of his life. Being forced away and into a world he didn't know, it was no wonder he wanted to go home so terribly. He was right… I would want to go back home too.

"I see your point…"

My mind couldn't even fathom what it would be like if my father banished me from home. I would be scared, alone, and completely vulnerable. That must've been how Zuko felt when he was shoved out the door. He had no clue where he was going, or what he would find when he got there. At least he had some sort of comfort through his uncle, but still… Zuko was practically on his own.

My hand suddenly overlapped his where it was gripping the rail hard. He was surprised by my contact, but didn't move his hand away enjoying my touch.

"Ah! There you two are! I've been looking for you," Iroh exclaimed. His sudden presence surprised the both of us. We tore our hands from one another and turned toward the man. "The Captain says we need to weigh anchor just for the night. The Northern Water Tribe will take us two weeks to reach its shores, so we all need to be rested and ready for the journey. Also, it's music night on the ship! Will you two be joining us?"

Zuko was quick with his answer. "No. I have things to prepare. I don't have time for goofing around."

I also came up with an excuse. I knew me being there would only allow Iroh to convince me to sing again. "I was going to turn in early tonight. I didn't sleep well last night, so I have sleep I need to catch up on."

He seemed disappointed, but appeared to understand. "Very well. You two will miss out though. I was going to sing some Earth Kingdom tunes I picked up while at Ba Sing Se."

Zuko grimaced. "I've heard them all before."

"Sorry Iroh," I said, not liking to disappoint the man. "Maybe next time."

A few hours later the ship was docked at the pier of a Fire Nation colony. The colonies were spread throughout the Earth Kingdom, and they were villages that were captured by the Fire Nation. When I heard about the colonies from Zuko, I was more irritated with the Earth Kingdom than the Fire Nation. If the Earth Kingdom was such a strong nation, then why couldn't they protect their villages? Did they not care about the people outside of Ba Sing Se?

Once the sun started to set, Zuko and I made our way down to our room. While Zuko assumed a meditating posture, I crawled onto my cot and shut my eyes to get some sleep. I hadn't lied to Iroh about needing to catch up on my rest. The last few nights I'd been having nightmares that woke me up and kept me awake until morning. One had been that the Fire Nation had captured Aang and the world was consumed by fire. Another was of my mom, and she told me she was disappointed I'd fallen for a Firebender. The last dream was of my brother and sister… I watched Sokka and Katara die.

The nightmares were getting worse the closer we got to the North Pole. I hated the guilt and fear that they caused me to feel.

Somehow I found myself drift away from the world. Slowly, a dream came to me.

 _My people stood before me in an arch, blocking my escape. I was at the Southern Water Tribe, and our igloo homes circled around me as if they were closing me in. I felt panic inside me as I tried to find a way out, but the igloo's were tight together and stretched on for miles in every direction. Dark clouds hung above me, and I saw lightning shoot across the sky._

 _"My granddaughter has betrayed us all!"_

 _At the sound of my Gran-Gran's voice, I looked back at the group of villagers. There my Gran-Gran stood, her eyes dark and her lips tight. She pointed her finger at me accusingly._

 _"No! I never betrayed you!" My voice echoed around me, and it was scared._

 _"You have turned your back on us! You chose the Fire Nation over us!"_

 _"No Gran-Gran! I love you all! I wouldn-"_

 _Something shoved me and I fell forward into the snow. My body shook, and I tried to stand. However, I was shoved harshly back down by a foot on my back. Looking behind me, I saw Sokka glaring down at me. His eyes held no warmth or love, but hate._

 _He started to speak. "You don't love us. You only love Zuko! You love the enemy! Because of you, Aang is dead!"_

 _"What… Aang… I didn't-"_

 _His foot shoved into my back some more. "That's right! You didn't! You didn't stop Zuko from going to the North Pole! You had every opportunity to stop him! You should've killed him! You turned your back on us!"_

 _"No! I didn't turn my back on you. I love you! But I'm also not a killer. I couldn't kill him!"_

 _A laugh rang in front of me. My eyes shot up to my sister who stood over me. Her own eyes showed no love. "Why? Because you love him?!" She glared furiously at me. "You chose him over us! You chose him over your family and the world!"_

 _"No! I didn't! I swear!"_

 _She stepped back. "You're not my sister! You're the enemy! And you know what we do to the enemy!"_

 _My eyes widened. My body was jerked up and I was yanked over to a hole dug into the snow. Sokka shoved me closer to the hole, and I panicked struggling and screaming. The tribe cheered behind me, and I saw Katara walk beside us with dark eyes._

 _"No! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please!"_

 _Sokka inched me to the very edge of the large hole. All I saw inside it was darkness. "You don't get to apologize. Now you can join Aang and tell him how sorry you are!" He shoved me forward then, and I screamed as I fell into the hole. Darkness filled my vision as I dropped down from the world above._

"Crystal!"

My eyes shot open, and I gasped for air as I tried to rejoin the real world. My body shook and I tried to grasp reality. When I eventually came back to the room I'd fallen asleep in some time earlier, I found Zuko looking at me with utter worry. He was kneeling beside me, and his hand was pressed against my shoulder where he had been shaking me. Taking in a few more heavy breaths, I felt the nightmare slowly sink to the back of my mind.

Sitting up, I found Zuko's hand leave my shoulder but he never left my side. Running a hand through my hair, I tried to brush away the horror that still twisted my gut.

"Sorry," I said softly. Hanging my head, I rubbed my eyes which had wet trails from tears. "It was just a bad dream."

He stayed where he was only for a moment. Then suddenly I felt my cot sink and warm arms pull me in. As Zuko sat beside me on my cot, I pressed my face into his shirt feeling the warmth of his body through the fabric. He tightened his embrace, not wanting to let me go. I shut my eyes feeling comfort in his hold, and listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"You want to talk about it?"

His question took me off guard. I didn't expect Zuko to ask such a question. Sokka would ask me the same thing all the time when we were younger. The familiarity made my aching heart slowly ease.

"No…" I shut my eyes tighter. "It's nothing worth talking about. Just a nightmare."

He pressed his face into my hair suddenly, and I was surprised by his action. However, I only relaxed more in his embrace wishing I never had to leave it…

Wishing we could stay like this forever…

A knock on the door suddenly sounded, and the two of us tensed at the sudden interruption. Zuko sighed in disappointment, and slowly pulled away from me. I watched him get off the cot wishing he'd come back and hold me some more. As he walked over to the door to see our intruder, I pushed my disheveled blanket away from me, and then tried to smooth down my hair. My injured hand pulsed in pain from the movements, but I tried to ignore it.

"For the last time, I'm not playing the Tsungi Horn!"

Zuko jerked the door open to reveal Iroh was indeed the intruder. However, to our terror it wasn't just Iroh who graced us with his presence.

"No," Iroh said solemnly. "It's about our plans. There's a bit of a problem."

Zhao entered the room, and I quickly scrambled to my feet as blood pumped through my veins. Zuko stepped back, and the path between Zhao and I was blocked. Zuko was still protecting me from the man who wouldn't hesitate turning me over to the Fire Lord.

Zhao noticed the exchange and scowled. He didn't comment though. Instead he simply said, "I'm taking your crew."

My eyes widened.

Zuko was outraged. "What?!"

The man smiled, pleased to upset the prince. "I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole."

Zuko glanced over at Iroh with disbelief. "Uncle, is that true?"

Iroh nodded in dismay. "I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone. Even the cook!"

Zhao was satisfied by both Iroh and Zuko's reactions. "Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar. But I can't have you getting in my way again."

His words made me not just sorry for Zuko, but fear for Aang. If Aang was captured by Zhao, there was no telling what the man would do to him. My skin paled at the thought of Aang being captured and taken to the Fire Lord. My dream was close to a reality. I had to stop Zhao… If I didn't then I would truly be a traitor.

What could I do though? With one hand and novice waterbending skills, there was no way I could beat Zhao.

Zhao had turned and scanned the room for a second, and his eyes widened when he saw the décor on the wall. They were Zuko's dual dao swords, which he kept hanging up on the wall above his meditation table. When I saw Zhao's reaction to them, I wondered what was going on immediately.

Zhao took a step over to the wall. "I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko."

Zuko had tensed by the man's observation. "I'm not. They're antiques. Just decorative."

The man darted his eyes back to Zuko with knowing. Then he shot a question toward the other man in the room. "Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?"

Iroh seemed to keep a calm face. I had a feeling he knew what was going through Zhao's head though. I honestly was stumped. "Just rumors. I don't think he is real."

Zhao gritted his teeth. "He's real all right. He's a criminal, an enemy of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling that justice will catch up with him soon." He stepped away from the sword display. "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands if you change your mind."

Iroh nodded, but said nothing to the man.

Zhao then suddenly turned his eyes back to Zuko, and then past him over to me. "I can see the prisoner is still with you. Sharing a room with her? That's very interesting."

Zuko stepped back so that I was shielded more behind him. "It's to keep an eye on her," Zuko said through gritted teeth. "I don't trust her in the cells alone."

Zhao nodded. "I see… Can't even handle a prisoner on your own. Why don't I just take her off your hands then? Seeing as you don't have much backup anymore, we wouldn't want her to get the upper hand and escape."

Immediately I cringed, not liking the idea of being under Zhao's custody one bit.

To my surprise, Iroh cleared his throat to answer. "My nephew and I can handle her. Besides… Your focus should be on the Avatar's capture. Having her as a prisoner would only lead to a distraction."

The man seemed to ponder over Iroh's words. He smirked and nodded. "Yes… I suppose having such a pretty waterbender in the presence of so many men would be very distracting." He turned and headed toward the door. "You can keep her, Prince Zuko. You'll need the company now that you're alone."

The man left us then, shutting the door behind. Zuko scowled and jerked his body toward the wall smashing his fist into the steel. Iroh sighed heavily, stroking his beard as he tried to find the words to say. I felt concern fill inside me, and it wasn't just for Aang.

What would happen to my family?

What would happen to Zuko?

What would happen to me?

"I best go and see the men off… Maybe Jiho will make us one last meal before he tarries on his way. I suppose we'll have to hire a new crew when all of this is over."

Zuko growled. "We have no time for a new crew, Uncle! Zhao is on his way to capture the Avatar! I need to get to the North Pole before him!"

As Zuko became blinded by determination and rage, I walked back over to my cot and sat on it. Pulling my knees to my chest for comfort, I pressed my forehead against my knees shielding out the world. I felt so weak and defenseless. Here Zhao was threatening to invade my sister tribe, and here I was stuck prisoner miles away and unable to help. If Zhao got to Aang and my family, I feared something terrible would happen to them all. Zhao was ruthless and wouldn't care if he hurt them to get what he wanted.

"Prince Zuko! Calm yourself! You know there is nothing I can do. Admiral Zhao has authority over me, and even you. We can't disrespect his wishes."

"So I just sit here and do nothing?! I won't stand for that! I refuse to let him take what's mine!"

"The Avatar will escape, and you will have plenty of opportunity in the future."

"You don't know that!"

"I don't, but I believe the Avatar can handle himself pretty well."

"He's still a kid though," I said softly. The room fell silent when I spoke. Lifting my head slightly, I saw both of them looking at me with question. "Aang is just a kid… He can't take on Zhao's fleet all by himself… There's no way he can beat them all on his own." Tears started to fall again, and I quickly tried to brush them away by pressing my face into my knees again.

Iroh sighed heavily. "The Avatar has abilities no one else possesses. I believe without a doubt that he will escape in one piece. We just have to have hope."

"I don't need hope!" Zuko snapped. "I need my crew!"

I couldn't take it anymore. Shutting my eyes, I tried to block out everything as I focused on the worries rushing through my head. I feared for my family, Aang, and the water tribe. There was no way they'd beat what was coming their way… Unless a miracle happened.

"I'll return once I arrange some things with the crew. They're due to depart tomorrow. We can continue this discussion later," Iroh said calmly. A second later the door to our room shut leaving Zuko and I alone. Silence fell through the room as neither of us knew what to say.

The rest of the night Zuko kept to himself, and I tried to keep to myself. We were both worried and anxious, although I knew it was for very different reasons. Zuko was worried about his honor. I was worried about my family and friend.

The next day came sooner than any of us expected. As Zuko moped in our room, I followed Iroh around the ship to say my good-byes to the crew I'd become surprisingly close to. Jiho gave me a huge hug when he saw me, telling me to stay out of trouble and keep an eye on Iroh for him. Lieutenant Jee ruffled my hair and wished me well on whatever journey Zuko would have us go on. Hul, my good guard friend, squeezed my shoulder and told me not to fall overboard while he was gone. The more I said goodbye to the crew, the more I realized how much I'd become part of the crew. It had been months since I'd been brought on the ship, and seeing what friends I had made prepare to leave, I felt pretty glum.

Once I said goodbye to everyone I needed to, I returned to my room with a heavy heart. My mind had been busy with thoughts of the crew, so when my worries returned to me about my family and Aang, I felt pain in my gut.

Walking back in the room, I found Zuko lying on his cot with his back toward me. He was pouting, and though I could understand why it was starting to irritate me. He gave up way too easily. It wasn't the prince I knew.

The rest of the day passed with the both of us sitting in silence. As Zuko entered and exited the room periodically without a word, I watched him wishing he would cheer up and talk to me. I was starting to feel bored out of my mind. Eventually I picked up a book from my collection and started reading to pass time. Zuko continued to mope on his cot.

Eventually a knock sounded at the door. It was late at night, and I knew the crew were long gone. That meant our visitor was Iroh, seeing as he was the only man besides us onboard.

The door opened, and sure enough Iroh entered. "The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels."

Zuko was leaning against the wall on his cot with his arms crossed. "Good riddance to those traitors."

"It's a lovely night for a walk. Why don't you join me? It would clear your head." Iroh waited for Zuko to respond, but there was only silence. "Or, just stay in your room and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy." Iroh looked over at me then to direct the same question. "Crystal?"

I shook my head. I was tired of the moping prince, but I also wasn't in the mood for a stroll. I was too worried about other things and didn't really want to go anywhere.

Iroh sighed. "Very well. I'll be back soon. You two cheer up. It's not the end of the world." He turned and left us then. Zuko scowled as soon as the door shut. I hung my head wishing what Iroh spoke was true. However if Zhao captured Aang, it would definitely be the end of the world.

More hours passed of silence between us. If we weren't silent, we would've never heard the smash of something falling from up above, or the creak of a door latch turning.

Zuko quickly became alert, his eyes wide at the sudden noise. I put my book down with surprise, and stood from my cot.

His gold eyes shot toward me with question. "You heard that too?"

I nodded to answer him.

We both found our way over to the door of our room, Zuko taking the lead. "Stay close," he ordered. I inched closer to him not desiring to do otherwise. It could've been Iroh for all we knew, but the whole Zhao thing had us both on edge. Zuko held his fists tight ready to attack if he needed to.

We made our way through the hall, both of us alert and prepared for an attack if one occurred. As we made our way up a set of stairs that led to the bridge of the ship, I felt shivers run down my spine as the ship creaked and more noises echoed around us.

"Uncle?" Zuko questioned, his own voice wary as he kept close to me and alert.

We eventually made it up to the bridge, where an empty control room showed no sign of life. Zuko and I were the only ones on the ship it appeared.

"Maybe we're just being paranoid," I said softly. "We're not used to having the whole crew gone."

Zuko seemed to contemplate what I said, but he didn't agree. Walking over to the large curved glass window, he looked out at the deck before him. Then something caught his eyes, and I saw his body tense. My eyes followed his gaze, and my own widened. A very familiar parrot was perched on one of the ships masts, its dark eyes looking directly at us. It squawked and took off into the sky.

"Pirates…" I said in horror.

"Crystal!" Zuko grabbed me suddenly and jerked me to his body. Then after that everything happened in a blur.

I remember pain. I remember searing hot pain. I remember my body jerking harshly through the air. I remember glass shattering around me and a few pieces piercing my skin. I remember the crash of my body hitting the water hard. I remember the feeling of Zuko's protective embrace leave me as he lost consciousness.

My ears were ringing, and my lungs were beginning to tighten as I tried to gather my thoughts. My arms and back were in pulsing pain, and the salt water around me only increased the pain more. However, I somehow managed to open my eyes. When I did, I saw a blur of Zuko's body drifting away from me.

Jerking my arms and legs drastically, I tried to swim on instinct praying it would just come to me. I used my waterbending to make the current around me push me toward Zuko. My lungs grew tighter, but I refused to give up. Reaching my hand forward, I managed to grasp Zuko's arm on the first try with my good hand. Jerking him toward me, I shoved my free injured hand upward, and a current rushed below me lifting my body to the air above.

When I surfaced, I immediately breathed in much needed air. Fire was blazing all around me from different parts of the destroyed ship. The scene was complete chaos and debris. A piece of wood floated only a few feet from where I surfaced, and I quickly reached out grabbing it. Once I had a hold to help me float, I pulled Zuko's body over enough so that he was above water and supported slightly by the float. Then I kicked with all my might heading a blurry path toward the shore.

Somehow I made it to the shallow part of the bank. My whole body ached with pain and fatigue, but I kept going. I was concerned about Zuko. Actually, I was worried sick. Somehow, I found the strength to drag Zuko's unconscious body onto the muddy bank. On my knees, I pressed my ear to his chest to see if he was breathing. When I found he wasn't, I panicked even more.

Pressing my hand to Zuko's chest, I felt water in his lungs and knew what I had to do. With careful concentration, I carefully maneuvered the water out of his lungs, up his body, through his throat, and out of his mouth. As soon as the water was gone, he choked and coughed hoarsely. Turning on his side, he coughed out what little water remained and then gasped for air.

Tears filled in my eyes when I saw he was breathing. "Zuko!"

He slumped back and fell unconscious once more, but this time his chest rose up and down as he breathed. While he rested from our traumatic event, I looked him over. He had burns on his face, and cuts on his lip. His arms were also burned, and I saw a burn on the back of his neck. Taking some water from the ocean, I let it settle over one burn on the side of his head, wishing I could do more. I wanted to be able to heal him, but I knew all I could do now was help the pain.

As the water settled against his skin though, there was a sudden blue glow that illuminated from the circular liquid flowing on his skin. The glowing water soaked into the burn and- to my amazement- the burn started to fade. Immediately I dropped my hand in surprise.

Had I just healed Zuko?

I knew from myths of my tribe, that some of our waterbending relatives had the gift of healing. Had I received the same gift?

Repeating the process on another burn that decorated Zuko's upper arm, I watched with amazement as yet again the glow occurred and the burn faded. My heart lifted as I realized what was happening.

I had healing abilities!

 **Zuko POV**

My head was splitting as I started to come out of the darkness. The last thing I remember is grabbing Crystal as I heard the fire racing through the hall toward the bridge. Then after that, all I recall is pain. Pain and darkness.

A cool sensation drifted on my back, and I realized then I was sitting up. Slowly, I found the strength to open my eyes. When I did, it took a moment for my focus to return. As the world around me started to clear up, I saw the one helping me sit up was uncle. He had tears staining his cheek, but I knew they were tears of relief.

"Zuko… Thank goodness you're awake. When I saw the explosion, I didn't know what to think! I feared the worse!"

Explosion… My eyes shot out toward the water in front of me. My massive ship was on fire, and pieces of the vessel were floating on the water also on fire. The scene around me was complete chaos.

The cool sensation stopped suddenly, and then a second later it started again on another spot. My head tried to turn so I could see what was going on behind me.

"Don't move," a tired but beautiful voice said. "I just have two more spots to heal."

Crystal…? Heal? What was she talking about?

"What are you-"

The cool sensation moved up my back then, and I gasped as pain shot from the spot it touched. However, the pain only lasted for a second and then cool water soaked into my skin easing the pain. After another few seconds passed, the water left my back and I heard a sigh of relief.

"There… That's the worst of it," she said softly.

My uncle lowered me back again, but I managed to use my hands to keep my body upright. Once I had stability, I looked over at Crystal who crawled over to my side with a face of exhaustion. She picked up a piece of cloth that was drenched in the mud. "I would say you could put your shirt back on, but I don't think there's much left of it."

She held out the soaked shirt toward me, but I just stared at her face with horror. She had cuts on her lip, cheeks, and forehead; an awful burn on her arm; and her clothing were singed. She was soaked to the bone, and her tan skin looked pale in the light of the flames that flared from the ship. I could only assume her back was as burned as mine most likely had been. The burns on my back however didn't hurt one bit.

"What did you do to me?"

She smiled weakly, lowering the shirt back to the ground. "Turns out I'm a healer… Better late than never I suppose." Her voice sounded so weak. So tired.

A healer though? Amazing! I'd never met anyone who could heal before…

"We need to get you two somewhere warm and dry," Iroh said softly. "I saw a cave not too far from here. Once we get there I'll make a fire, and then you two can rest."

I knew Uncle was right. It was freezing, and our drenched bodies would only make us sick. Somehow I found the strength to stand. My muscles ached from the movement, but the burns were non-existent. Crystal had healed every burn on me, and I didn't know if I could ever thank her enough. Then a thought hit me.

"You swam?"

She looked up at me from where she sat on her knees. Her eyes looked like they were barely in focus. She nodded though, to answer me.

"It was more like waterbending," she admitted. "I just knew I had to get to you. You were dying… I couldn't-"

Her voice cut off and tears formed in her eyes.

"I- I couldn't let you die!" She broke into sobs, and I knew then exhaustion had finally hit her. She slumped over her knees, her two hands pressing to her eyes. I noticed as she did so, that her right hand which once was broke was healed. The bandage must've fallen off, and the swelling and bruising was no longer there. It must've healed as she healed my body. She hadn't healed herself though intentionally. If she had, then she wouldn't have had so many burns and cuts on her skin still.

"Crystal," I said softly. My heart ached as I saw her tears.

"Prince Zuko," Uncle said softly. "We need to get you both to the cave. You'll get hypothermia."

I knew Uncle was right. Stepping over to Crystal, I managed to grab her elbows and help her stand. She grimaced and gasped in pain from the movement. It was probably her first time standing since the explosion. My muscles hurt, and every part of me wanted to rest, but I knew I couldn't rest until Crystal and I were somewhere warm and safe.

She stumbled and fell against me. I knew then she was too exhausted to walk. Her legs and arms shook with what energy they had left. Carefully, I scooped my arm under the bend of her legs and my other arm around her back. She cringed as I lifted her up into my arms, but she didn't have the strength to complain.

"Zuko," Uncle began, stepping forward to assist. "I can-"

"It's fine," I said softly. "She isn't that heavy."

As Uncle and I started to make our way toward the cave, which was up an inclined hill, I felt Crystal rest her head on my chest with exhaustion. Her warmth kept me moving, even though every part of me wanted to lay down and sleep.

"You were drifting away," she said softly. Her voice was fading the more she tried to stay awake. "I had to reach you…"

"I'm okay… I'm alive," I reassured. "You saved my life."

She didn't respond for a second, and I wondered if maybe she'd drifted. Then she spoke again. "You saved mine… you're my hero…"

I wasn't really sure how to respond. Her words did make my heart lighten though.

Eventually we got to the cave. It was a small rocky cut on the side of a mountain. Lying Crystal on the smoothest area of rock I could find, I saw her cringe once more as her injuries were irritated. Uncle busily gathered wood and started a fire, while I looked over Crystal with worry. She was trying to stay awake, but I could tell her energy was fading the longer she lay in the cold cave.

"Pirates," she said softly. "Why would they…"

Her voice drifted, but she still was awake. Her eyes were dragging though.

"I know exactly who did this," I said softly. "Zhao paid the pirates to kill me. He knows I'm the Blue Spirit and wants me dead."

She was silent for a second. Then she spoke. "The Blue Spirit… no… you're Zuko…"

Her eyes shut for a minute, and I wondered if maybe she was out. However, she opened them again for one last time.

"I love you… Zuko…" Her eyes shut again. "… love you…"

She finally drifted, her head falling slightly to the side as she let exhaustion take her away. My hand brushed through her salt drenched hair.

"I love you too."

Trailing my hand down her face, I let my palm rest on her scar.

"Thank you for saving me... Thank you…"

A second later I felt myself lay down beside her. My arm slid under her back, and I pulled her to me. She was shaking from the cold, just as I was. As soon as I had her in my arms though, warmth radiated through my body. The warmth, and her soft breaths, managed to lull me to sleep.

I would worry about Zhao when I woke up… For the moment, all I wanted was to hold Crystal and never let her go again.


	16. Dark water

**Crystal POV**

"You want to do what?!"

It was the sound of Iroh's voice that woke me from my deep sleep. My back was killing me, and my head was splitting. Every muscle in me felt tight and heavy. Somehow, I found the strength to open my eyes. When I did, I was surprised to find I was in a cave. The last thing I remember from yesterday was healing all of Zuko's burns, and then breaking down into tears. After that everything was a complete blur.

"I have to do this Uncle! If Zhao gets to the Avatar before me, then everything I have worked so hard to achieve will be lost! I won't lose my only way home to that monster!"

Trying to sit up, I immediately grimaced as my muscles burned from the movement. The trauma of yesterday's events had caught up to me. Being thrown off the ship, through a glass window, and into the dark water of the ocean had been a toll on my body.

"You're talking about disguising yourself as a soldier to sneak on the very ship of the man who tried to kill you! Do you realize how irrational that is?"

Zuko defended himself. "I'll stay out of Zhao's radar! This is my only chance Uncle!"

Finally I sat up, but immediately regretted it when my heads pain only intensified. When I was able to see around me though, I noticed Iroh was standing by a blazing fire while Zuko stood directly in front of him. They both looked desperate, but I knew it was for different reasons.

"Very well," Iroh finally said, sighing heavily in defeat. "I'll return to the ship and see if any of the armor survived." His eyes turned hard then. "But I'm coming too. I don't like the thought of you being anywhere near Zhao alone."

Zuko nodded slowly, knowing he couldn't refuse.

"Now we just have to decide what to do with Crystal…"

I didn't need them to decide for me. I knew what had to be done. "Hand me over to Zhao." My voice came out more tired than I wanted it to sound.

Both Zuko and Iroh whirled around and looked at me with amazement. Running a hand through my hair, I tried to brush out the salty tangles as much as I could.

"No!" Zuko protested. "Absolutely not! What are you thinking?"

"Crystal," Iroh said with worry. "I think you hit your head a little too hard dear."

I explained. "Zhao will doubt that Zuko is really dead. If I'm presented to Zhao then he can hear from one who witnessed the explosion. I can tell him that I watched you die onboard. When he believes that you're really dead, it will be easier for you to travel in disguise because Zhao won't suspect he has an intruder in his crew."

Iroh seemed to contemplate it. Zuko seemed like he wanted to protest some more, but he didn't.

Finally, Iroh responded. "I suppose that is a good idea… Then once we reach the North Pole I can sneak to whatever prison cell Zhao will hold you in and set you free. You can make a dash for a paddle boat and row to shore. Then you can use your waterbending to get into the city."

I nodded, agreeing with his every word.

Zuko still protested. "No! I don't like the idea of you being Zhao's prisoner! This is not an option!"

Iroh tried to convince him for me. "Prince Zuko… You know Crystal is too short to pass for a soldier. Plus, I don't think she'll be wanting to put on armor anytime soon with those injuries. We're running out of time. This is the only option that makes sense."

"Uncle! Think about this! We have no clue what Zhao will do to her when she's his prisoner!"

Iroh tried to ease Zuko's worries. "I will be keeping watch of Zhao's movements. If he does anything to try and harm her I will step in immediately. Crystal will be fine."

Although Zuko wanted to argue some more, he finally let out a heavy sigh of defeat. About five hours later, Zuko had managed to find some armor from the remaining section of the ship that hadn't been destroyed. Once he was changed, the three of us made our way through the woods toward the area where Zhao's ships were waiting. The walk took a good hour, and it was a strain on my body which was still sore from the explosion. I hadn't worried about healing my own injuries, too concerned about Zuko's. My back was the worst of the pain, but I kept quiet trying not to complain.

There was a reason I wasn't stopping Zuko from sneaking onto Zhao's ship. I was too worried about Aang and my family. I wanted to get to the North Pole and help them, and if becoming Zhao's prisoner was the only way then I would do it.

When we got to the shore where Zhao's fleet awaited, my eyes widened at the sight before me in horror. There were at least thirty ships, massive in size and strength, and each held about a hundred or more men on board. Three thousand men against the North Pole… I didn't like the odds.

Before we revealed ourselves to the shipyard before us, we said our good-byes to Zuko. Iroh told him to keep hidden and lay low until we reached the North Pole. He told him to be careful, and that he would be checking on him once the fleet reached its destination. Zuko nodded to let Iroh know he was listening.

Zuko then turned toward me, and I felt my heart ache at the thought of being separated from him. I didn't want to be Zhao's prisoner, but I knew it was the best way to get to my family.

"Be careful," I begged. I looked away embarrassed by my concern. "I mean… I just don't want you to get hurt."

Armored arms encircled me suddenly, and I was pulled to Zuko's body. He had taken his helmet off just for the moment, and I felt him press his face into my hair. I shut my eyes enjoying his embrace.

"Don't worry about me," he said softly. "You need to worry about yourself."

I smiled weakly. "I'm not scared of Zhao." It was a lie, and Zuko knew it.

"If he hurts you again…" Zuko began with a tight voice. "I'll be sure to give him everything he deserves."

Zuko's care lightened my heart more than ever before. Looking up at him, I saw him stare down at me with worry.

"I'll be fine. I promise."

He nodded. Then in the blink of an eye he had leaned forward and pulled me to his lips once again. My eyes widened, but I quickly relaxed against him and kissed him back. The kiss was deep and longing, and I knew then what it meant to Zuko. He was saying good-bye. He knew that once I got into the Northern Water Tribe I was going to find my family. He was right, which only made me sorry it had to be so. I leaned in more, wishing the moment could last forever. I knew we had to go our separate ways once we reached our destination. He had his path, and I had mine. No matter how much I loved Zuko, I knew I had to protect Aang and my family at all costs.

A throat cleared, which ended our moment. We begrudgingly pulled away, wishing Iroh would've given us just a few more seconds. We were both breathing heavily though, which told me our kiss was definitely a passionate one.

Zuko's hand suddenly pressed against my cheek again, and I saw he wasn't ready to leave me. "Be careful… If anything happens to you I-"

My hand pressed against his own, cutting him off. With a weak smile, I said softly, "I'll be fine."

We pulled apart then, and with heavy hearts went our separate ways. As he left, I felt tears fill in my eyes. Iroh noticed as he walked beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "You'll see him again."

I hung my head. "Even if I do… We won't be playing on the same side…"

Iroh knew I was right, and his hand only squeezed my shoulder more.

Eventually we reached the largest ship of the fleet, which had its ramp down as soldiers loaded heavy wooden crates onto the vessel. I could only assume the crates were full of weapons and supplies. As we approached, Iroh and I both dropped our expression and held solemn looks. We were supposed to look like we just lost someone, and I hoped we looked sad enough to fool Zhao.

One of the soldiers greeted us at the ramp, and when Iroh explained to him our purpose for arriving, the young soldier immediately led us up the ramp and onto the ship. As we headed down the dark halls of the massive vessel, I could tell Zhao's ship was of much more strength and prestige than Zuko's. The walls were made out of finer steel, and the pipes which leaked on Zuko's ship looked shiny and new. The Fire Lord had granted Zhao a powerful vessel for the quest he was about to set out on.

Eventually we reached a door in the upper level of the ship. The soldier knocked, and a moment later Zhao's muffled voice echoed from the other side for us to enter. My heart began to accelerate as I realized then what was about to happen to me. I was about to be Zhao's prisoner. Shivers went up and down my spine.

The door was opened for us by the soldier, and Iroh and I both entered keeping our heavy-hearted expressions. When Zhao saw us from where he sat at his desk examining maps, his face held a mask of fake surprise.

"General Iroh?" His eyes shot to me with knowing. "Great Agni! What happened to your prisoner?"

His cold voice was enough to have tears fill in my eyes. The tears helped our story more. Iroh hung his head and held agony.

"There was an explosion… I had left the ship to go on a walk, so I escaped it alright. Zuko…" He choked up, and I saw from the corner of my eye Zhao's lip turn up. Iroh let out a heavy breath. "Zuko and Crystal were still onboard at the time. When the explosion occurred, Zuko had just managed to reach the bridge room. The explosion threw both Zuko and Crystal out of the room, and into the ocean. Crystal managed to survive since Zuko…" He paused shutting his eyes tightly. "Zuko shielded her from the explosion. When they hit the water she tried to reach for Zuko, but he was too far from her. He sunk down into the dark water, and Crystal had no choice but to swim up for air."

Zhao tried to contain his joy with a frown. I could tell his eyes were shining with thrill. He directed his next question to me. "Is this true?"

Nodding, I hung my head more and felt an increase of tears fall. "There was so much blood… I tried to swim toward him… I tried so hard…" I broke into sobs then. I wasn't sure how I managed to do so, but I did. Katara and Sokka would've been proud of my acting. Zhao was surprised by my sudden break down, while Iroh tried to contain his amusement.

"I see… My condolences to you, Iroh… Please have a seat." He gestured to two chairs bolted to the floor in front of his desk. Iroh and I took a seat, trying to keep our acting up.

Zhao quickly called for some tea, and a few minutes later it was brought to us by Jiho. The man was surprised to find us in the room, but he didn't question it leaving as silent as he came. Once the tea was provided, Zhao dispersed it to only Iroh. I assumed the prisoner didn't get tea.

"I'm devastated to hear about Prince Zuko." Zhao shook his head in such a fake manner, it made my insides boil with rage. "Just devastated."

Iroh tried to remain composed. He too was angry with Zhao, but had to keep up his sorrowful façade. " The Fire Lord will not be pleased he learns who was responsible."

Zhao seemed surprised by Iroh's words. He looked suddenly nervous. "You know who... was behind the attack?"

Iroh suddenly slammed his tea cup down on the desk. Both Zhao and I jumped. "Yes! Pirates! We had a run in with them awhile back… They wanted revenge."

Zhao seemed relieved that Iroh didn't accuse him. "So, have you reconsidered my offer?"

His sudden change in subject only made me boil with more rage.

Iroh nodded. "Yes, I accept. It will be an honor to serve as your general." He raised his tea in the air. "To the Fire Nation!"

Zhao too raised his cup. "To victory!"

I felt sick.

His eyes shot to me then as he lowered his cup. "So the prisoner… I suppose I can take her under my custody now until we reach the Fire Lord."

Iroh nodded. "Yes… However, I want to be sure that she is not treated too unfair. She has been nothing but obedient to Zuko and I since we took her as prisoner. She does not deserve more than she's already gone through."

Zhao smirked. "Of course… I'll be sure she is handled with care. The Fire Lord will no doubt want the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe to be in good condition when she is presented to him. I have an adequate holding cell for her. No worries, General Iroh."

With that said, Zhao called for a soldier to come to the room and retrieve me. He whispered something in the soldier's ear, and as he did so, Iroh grabbed my hand. "I'll check on you soon. Be brave."

I nodded, returning his grasp wishing I could stay with the man for just a while longer. He had been nothing but a father to me in the months I'd known him. I was scared to be separated from him on a vessel full of bloodthirsty soldiers.

He let go of my hand then, and a second later I felt the soldier's hand grab my arm rather roughly. I was yanked up from the chair and pulled out of the room without another word. The soldier forcing me down the hall was strong and tall, probably mid-forties, and his face didn't show any kindness like the soldiers I knew from Zuko's crew. I knew this man was focused on war, and didn't care what happened to a water tribe girl like me.

We went down only one level of the ship, and a second later we arrived at a steel door near the end of the hall. The door had a steel bar on the outside used to lock the door in place.

I was about to be shoved into my prison.

Sure enough, the soldier yanked up the latch and jerked me into the small dark room. The light from the hall revealed to me the room's contents. There was no cot, and there was no blanket. The room was cold, and there were no torches on the wall for light. The only thing the room had was a chamber pot and some chains. Luckily, the soldier didn't put the chains on me. Instead, he stepped out of the room and shut the door behind him. As soon as he did so my world was consumed by darkness. The sound of the latch being dropped to lock me in was deafening in my ears.

Blindly, I inched my way through the dark feeling around for the wall. When I felt the cold surface, I turned and pressed my back against it. Sliding down, I sat with my legs pulled to my knees. Pressing my face into my knees for some warmth, I shut my eyes thinking of better days.

I wasn't sure how long I was in my dark prison for. I was aware that in the time I sat alone in the dark, the ship had started to move because my body was jerked around slightly. I felt hunger start to eat at me, but I tried my best to ignore it. There was no telling when Zhao would feed me, so thinking about food would only make me sick.

Some more time passed, and I wondered if maybe they had forgotten about me. It wouldn't surprise me, but I knew Zhao didn't want me to die in my cell. He would earn honor for handing me over to the Fire Lord. He only wanted honor.

The latch being lifted sounded through the air and deafened me. I jumped and covered my ears from the sudden noise. I'd been in the silent dark for so long. The door opened then, and the light from the hall suddenly blinded me. I shut my eyes and turned my head from the burn that shot through my pupils.

"I see Zhao didn't keep too well to his word," Iroh's familiar voice spoke with disapproval. "Go fetch her a blanket and some candles."

My eyes opened slightly, and I managed to focus on Iroh who stood at the doorway. The soldier he had spoken to, placed a lantern down against the wall to give light to my room. Being able to see, I noticed Iroh was dressed in fine Fire Nation attire and held a tray of food.

The soldier seemed hesitant. "Admiral Zhao ordered that we just feed the girl, sir."

"He also said to make me content with my stay on this ship. I'm not content unless I know Crystal is comfortable."

I was surprised with how Iroh was manipulating the soldier. The middle aged man sighed heavily, knowing Iroh spoke true, and then made his way out of the cell to fetch what Iroh had requested.

Iroh let out a heavy breath, and then made his way over to me. The door had been shut and locked, but the lantern left behind gave us light.

"I'm sorry… If I had known this was what your holding was like, I would've come much sooner. Are you cold?" He set the tray in front of me, and I saw it was actually a full blown meal. There was a cup of tea and teapot as well.

"I've been in worse cold," I said softly. Meeting Iroh's eyes, I smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry about me so much. Worry more about your nephew."

Iroh seemed like he wanted to protest, but he decided it wouldn't do any good. "We're headed north as we speak… The fleet should reach the North Pole in two weeks at the most. When we arrive I will unlock your cell and lead you to the boats. We can paddle to shore and you can enter the Northern Water Tribe."

His plans made since, and I nodded in agreement and understanding.

After I ate my food, and downed all of my tea, I had to say my goodbyes to Iroh. The soldier had returned at that point with some candle holders and a blanket big enough to wrap around my body for warmth. Before Iroh and the soldier left, Iroh lit the candles in the small circular candle holders, and left the lantern at the door.

"I'll be back tomorrow," he promised. "Get some rest."

The door closed as Iroh and the soldier left me. Silence filled the cell once more, but this time I had light to be my friend. From the warmth of the flames, and the scratchy blanket on my body, I managed to lull to sleep.

It was five days after my imprisonment that Zhao finally showed his face to me. When he entered the cell, I curled into a tight ball, hugging my knees to my chest as I sat against the wall.

"Sorry it took me so long to visit. War can make you busy." His cold voice echoing through the room only sent shivers through my spine. "I can see Iroh has been making visits. You don't stink like I thought you would."

I scowled. His insults weren't welcome. "Iroh lets me wash up. At least he's rational. I'm sure the Fire Lord doesn't want a gift that smells like month long dirt and grime."

Zhao gritted his teeth at my snarky comment. He didn't appreciate my mouth moving. "So tell me… It's Crystal, right?" I didn't give him an answer. He didn't really want one since he continued. "How does it feel to be the last of your kind in the Southern Water Tribe?"

I knew I wouldn't make the same mistake I made with Zuko. I wouldn't reveal Katara's gifts to this monster. I wouldn't reveal anything to this monster. I would stay silent.

"No answer, huh? Well that's alright." He stepped further in the room and approached. "It's a shame you won't get to see any other waterbenders. Once we hit the Northern Water Tribe we're killing each and every one of them."

My eyes widened. I shot my head up at the man in horror.

He seemed amused. "Well… That one got a reaction."

"You can't… You can't be that cruel…"

Zhao knelt in front of me, and I backed against the wall harder. "But I can. You and your people have been nothing but thorns in our side since this war started. We wiped out the Southern Water Tribe easily, but the Northern Water Tribe has been impenetrable. It's time to destroy you all just as we destroyed the Air Nation so long ago." He stood back up, and looked down on me as if I were nothing more than dirt before his boot. "This battle will go down in history. I, Admiral Zhao, will make history! _I_ will be a hero! _I_ will wipe out the Water Tribe completely!" He smirked. "Shame you won't be able to see it."

My horror slowly faded and was replaced by fury. The blood of my people being spilled motivated me to make a stand. I would not sit still and silent while my people died.

"No!" I jumped up swiftly and lashed out at the man who was over a foot taller than me. "Leave them alone!" My balled up hand was immediately caught by Zhao, and I gritted my teeth as his harsh hold sent my nerves pulsing in pain. The pain didn't stop me from my fury. "You can't do this! You will lose!" Tears started to poor from my eyes. I took a kick at the man, who stepped back with amusement. "You're no hero! You're a monster!"

He yanked my body harshly and I knocked into the steel wall. Then a split second later, I felt the monster kick the back of my leg sending me falling to the ground. "Finally! Some entertainment!" He stood over me as I grimaced from the pain shooting through my leg. My knees were on the steel floor, and my body leaned against the wall as I silently wept. "I've been waiting to get you back for interrupting my Agni Kai so long ago. Pay back feels great!"

He went to grab my arm to yank me up, but I wouldn't let him. With a quick thrust of my hand, I clomped him hard in the jaw. He cried out from the hit and stumbled back. While he tried to catch himself, I tried to scramble to my feet. My hand reached for the door so I could push it open. Before I had the chance though, Zhao's strong hands grabbed me around the waist from behind. He jerked me back from the door and practically threw me at the wall. I hit the metal surface with a crack to the forehead, and my vision blurred. Dropping to the floor again, I felt warm blood slide down the surface of my skin and hit my brow. My head was splitting, and my ears were ringing.

"You'll pay for that one you wench!" His voice was loud, but my eyes were too blurry to see him. "I'm going to kill your pathetic people! Then when I'm done, I'll pour their blood all over this room! You'll be swimming in it by the time I'm done!" He took a moment to breathe from his rage. Then he continued. "I was going to keep you locked up in here, but I've changed my mind! You're coming with me when we arrive at the North Pole. I'll make you watch your people die! You'll get to witness yourself become the last of your kind!"

My vision came back, just enough for me to watch Zhao kick my two candle bowls over and surround me with darkness. Then he slammed the door shut, dropped the hatch hard, and stomped away. As I was consumed by pain, darkness, and the sound of my sobs, I wished more than anything I was with my family. I was worried about them. I was worried about my people.

I missed Sokka and Katara more than ever.

 **Zuko POV**

The guards around me in the chow hall were oblivious to my disguise. I never took my helmet off, and I usually tried to keep my gaze from everyone. Iroh and I spoke to one another when we crossed paths in the hall, but other than that I was pretty alone. Staring down at my bowl of stew, I moved my spoon in a circular motion through the food.

It really sucked being alone… I knew why… I hadn't been alone much with Crystal by my side. Not having her with me felt like I was missing another piece of me.

Plus, the thought of her being Zhao's prisoner only made my stomach twist in knots. Zhao was cruel and heartless… There was no telling what he was putting her through. Uncle had informed me that so far Zhao hadn't touched her, but I was still very unsettled about the whole thing.

We still had a week before we hit the North Pole. Zhao could do anything to her in that time frame.

I knew my focus should be solely on the Avatar, but I couldn't get her off of my mind.

"I hear Admiral Zhao's as brutal as they say," a soldier suddenly said from the group seated behind me. "Ganj was working prisoner shift earlier. Said he's never heard such a skirmish before."

"Man…" a younger soldier spoke. "Girl must be hurting. I hear the man's got a hard hit."

There was a scoff. Then a gruff voice snapped, "That kid probably deserved it. Waterbenders are sneaky little creatures. She probably did something that Zhao saw as a threat. You got to set waterbenders straight you know… Otherwise they'll kill you instead."

"Still… She's just a kid…" the first soldier began. "It don't seem right. Ganj said she hasn't made a sound since. He's afraid she might be seriously hurt."

I didn't wait to hear what the others said. Placing my bowl down, I quickly got up and left the chow hall. No one paid me any mind, and for that I was relieved. My boots clomped against the hall heavily as I headed toward the area Uncle informed me she was being held. My heart pounded in my ears as I feared the worse.

When I got to her cell, I saw a soldier guarding the door with boredom. Heading over to the soldier, I tried to keep my calm. On the inside I was worried sick, but I couldn't let my emotions show. "Hey. I'm here to relieve you. Your duties are done for the day."

The soldier was surprised, and I could see through his helmet vent some uncertainty. "I haven't fulfilled my shift. I was told I'd be here until midnight."

I kept my cool. "Plans changed. Orders from Commander Fue."

The man sighed heavily. "Fine." He stepped away from the door. "Prisoner shouldn't give you any trouble, anyway. She's been quiet. Admiral Zhao threw her around pretty rough." He left then, heading down the hall toward the stairs to go below. Once he rounded the corner and disappeared, I looked around to make sure no one would spot me. Then quickly, I yanked up the metal bar that stretched across the door, and quickly headed inside.

The room was dark, and as soon as the door shut behind me it felt like I was in a closed up box. Already I hated the thought of Crystal being in such an awful place. Lighting a flame in my hand to illuminate the room, it took me a moment to focus on my surroundings. When I did, I was horrified by what I saw.

Crystal was beaten up like the guards all said. Her body was lying on a very rough looking blanket, and her breathing was very shallow. As I stepped over to her, I found a candle holder that was tipped over. Quickly placing it back straight, I lit the candle to illuminate the room on its own. Then I cut off my flame and broke the distance between Crystal and myself.

From what little light I had, I could see Zhao had been pretty rough on her. She had an awful cut on her forehead that was caked by dry blood. From what I could see, she also had bruises on her arms. Picking up her hand, I could tell her knuckles were bruised as well; I had a feeling that was from fighting back though.

"I knew this was a bad idea," I said softly. "I should've never agreed to this."

Kneeling beside her, I ran my hand through her hair wishing I could do more. Seeing her in so much pain made my gut wrench, and I didn't want to leave her side. As I stroked her hair, I heard her groan slightly in pain. Her mind began to slip back into consciousness, and soon her heavy eyelids were trying to open.

"Zuko…?" She was trying to come to her consciousness, but I could tell the pain made her want to sink back to sleep.

"I'm here," I reassured. Then I felt a burning in my gut that was no longer worry. The burning was rage. Zhao had crossed the line. Zhao had hurt someone I cared about… He would pay. "Zhao did this to you."

Her eyes slowly opened. Azure orbs met my amber in the fire light. "I think I hurt his pride… He got socked in the jaw by a teenage girl." Her voice was tired, but I could tell she was trying to keep me calm. She could see I was getting angry.

She rolled a bit, and I saw her weakly sit up. Her hair fell in messy waves framing her face. A few strands loosely fell in front of her. I had to resist the urge to brush them aside.

"You shouldn't be here," she spoke again. "You'll be caught."

Taking my helmet off, I set it to the side. My knees rested on the steel floor and my hands balled into fists on my lap. "I heard talk from the other soldiers. I was worried."

She grimaced. "It wasn't that bad. He just threw me around a bit. He wanted to make sure I knew who was boss." She hung her head, and I could see something was troubling her. "He was egging me on, and I took the bait."

"What did he say?"

She bit her lip. Her eyes started to water. "He… he said my people would end up like the airbenders… He said I'd be the last of my kind…"

Her words didn't surprise me at all. I'd heard from the soldiers around me that they weren't planning on allowing any to survive. It was going to be a massacre. Of course I would have no part of it, and neither would Uncle… We weren't the killing type. Uncle was focused on my well-being, and I was focused on capturing the Avatar. Killing wasn't my plan. However, that didn't mean the same for everyone else onboard. Some men didn't care about the lives of anyone other than the Fire Nation. In the Fire Nation, soldiers were taught to focus on the goal at hand and ignore any doubt. Killing the Water Tribe wouldn't make any of Zhao's brigade lose sleep.

"Are you hurting?" I tried to change the subject. Mostly because I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to lie, but I also didn't want to tell the truth. What was I supposed to say? I couldn't tell her that the Water Tribe would most likely fail. I didn't have the heart to tell her that she would probably be the last of her kind in the months to come. I couldn't bear the thought of breaking her heart.

She noticed I changed the subject, but she didn't comment on it. Instead, she answered, "No… I was just stunned." She pressed her hand to the scratch on her forehead. "The pain is barely noticeable now. I think I'll be okay."

I nodded. I wasn't really convinced. I wished I could do more for her. I hated being useless and unable to protect her. "Do you need anything? I can talk to Uncle… Are you cold? I'm sure there's some extra blankets lying around some-"

"You need to go," she said softly. "Don't worry about me." Her broken tone cut me off. I stopped my rambling and looked at her with agony. I knew she was trying to protect me, but I hated the thought of being away from her. "I'll be fine. I'm a big girl… You need to worry more about yourself."

"Crys-"

"Zuko… Please…" She looked at me really wanting the opposite. She wanted me to stay with her. She didn't want to be alone. However, she didn't want me to be captured and killed. "You need to go before someone notices. I don't want you getting hurt."

Her concern for me only made me want to stay more. I knew she was right though… I needed to go. Someone would notice soon, and then my cover would be blown.

"I'll get Uncle to check on you for me…" I reached forward and brushed my thumb against her cheekbone. The warm familiar contact comforted me somehow. "You'll be fine."

I went to stand. She grabbed my arm to stop me. "Iroh wasn't going to help me get into the North Pole, was he?"

Her question took me off guard.

I hung my head, realizing we were caught. "No… There was no way we'd let you get into such danger." She released my arm, and I picked up my helmet putting it back on my head. "The plan is for you and Uncle to paddle to shore. He is supposed to keep you there until I arrive with the Avatar. Once we're all boarded we're heading a straight line back toward the Earth Kingdom. There we'll find passage back to the Fire Nation." Turning, I went to the head toward the door. Her words stopped me.

"Well plans changed… Zhao's taking me on shore."

Her words shocked me. "What?!" I whirled around with horror. "What are you talking about?!"

She had a tear escape her. She let her hair fall before her face in defeat. "My punishment… He wants me to watch my people die. He wants me to witness myself becoming the last of my people."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She was going on shore! She was going into the North Pole. She wouldn't be able to handle such a massacre! It would destroy her!

"I'm going to talk to Uncle. He needs to know about this!" Jerking around, I reached quickly to push the door open.

"It won't matter…" Her broken voice stopped me. My hand faltered against the door. "None of it will matter… My people are going to die. My brother and sister are in danger…" Her voice cracked. "I should be with them. I should die with them…" She sniffled. "You and Iroh can't do anything for me now… When I go to shore, I'm going to break away from Zhao. I'm going to help my people fight. I'll die doing the right thing."

I gritted my teeth. Her nobility made my heart feel like a knife had just slashed through it. The thought of her being dead made me sick to my stomach.

"You won't die. I'll be sure of that."

Shoving the door open, I stepped into the hall and shut it behind. As I closed the latch back down, the sob that sounded from the other side of the door was enough to make me hate myself for leaving.


	17. No turning Back

**I'm so sorry this chapter took so long! These last two weeks of college have been intense! I'm back though, and here's a long chapter. I'm working on the next one as much as I can, but can't promise when I'll have it up. Hopefully soon though. Thanks for sticking with me.**

 **-Faithy Waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

"Hey! Wake up!"

A foot nudged against me and I groaned from the soreness of my body. I'd been in my prison cell forever, and my body was dying to move around and be free. Opening my eyes slowly, I saw before me was a soldier dressed in full armor. I couldn't see his face behind his helmet vent. As I stared at the man before me, I realized then that the ship had come to a stop. How long had I been asleep for?

"Let's go. Admiral Zhao's waiting for you," he ordered.

Glaring up at him, I sat upward and managed to cross my legs. Running a hand through my tangled hair, I muttered, "I think I'd rather stay down here. I don't mind my prison cell."

He ignored my wish and jerked his hand down toward me. I cringed as soon as his fingers wrapped around my forearm. He yanked me and forced me roughly out of the cell, back down the hall, up some stairs, and onto the freezing deck. The whole way up I struggled and tried to escape his grasp. In all honesty, I had no desire to watch my people suffer and die before my eyes. Zhao wanted this to be my punishment, and I honestly knew it would be horrifying to me. What if I saw Aang, Sokka, or Katara dead from the invasion? The possibility made me sick.

"Stop!" The soldier kicked my shin and I fell forward onto the freezing cold deck. "I didn't sign up to have some brat kick at me like a wild hogmonkey!"

"Soldier! Is there a problem here?"

A familiar voice echoed from across the deck, and I was utterly amazed when I heard it. Looking up from where I was sprawled on the deck, I saw my good friend Hul. Hul had been the man who I saved from falling overboard so long ago, and now he looked ready to rescue me. I knew he had joined Zhao's fleet, but I could tell he still cared about me as much as he had under Iroh's command.

"None of your business soldier! This is strictly Zhao's order," the man who dragged me from my cell snapped. "Go back to your duties."

"The girl is my duty," Hul snapped. "I'll take her from here."

The soldier scowled. "I was given strict instruction to bring her straight to Zhao. Unless you have evidence of a direct order, I suggest you keep walking!"

Hul stepped over and helped me up from the ground. The soldier growled at Hul's defiance.

"I do have evidence." Once I was up, Hul took something out of his armor that appeared to be a rolled up scroll. He handed it over to the soldier who snatched it with irritation. "It's all there in writing. You got an issue, take it up with General Iroh."

The soldier read over the orders from the light of the moon. He then scowled and shoved the scroll back into Hul's waiting hand. "Fine! The brat was beginning to irritate me anyway." He turned on his heel and stomped away.

Once the soldier was out of earshot, I felt Hul pull me close to him. "Listen closely. Iroh wanted me to give you a message. I'll only say this once and then you run. The water is cold enough that your ice won't melt immediately. You're to jump off ship and run to shore without looking back. Once you're on land, bend a hole in the wall of snow and break into the city. Then go find your family and help the Avatar."

His words surprised me. "But what about you… If you just let me go you'll be seen as a traitor." He began to pull me along so he could pretend he was taking me to where he was supposed to be. "That's why you're going to attack me. I have a canteen on my side that already has the cap off. Take the water and freeze me to the deck. Then dash for the ocean."

As he spoke, I could sense the water he spoke of on the right side of his body next to his hip.

I felt relief at this turn of events. I would be free from Zhao's hold. "Thank you, Hul… I owe you one."

"No… This is my thanks for saving my life during the storm. Just get to safety. That's all I ask."

"I will." My hand clenched as I grasped the water from his canteen. "Be safe, Hul."

"You too, kid. Take care of yourself."

My hand shot up then and the water flew out of his canteen. Then slamming it down, the water crashed around his feet. Freezing the water to the point where ice covered up to his shins, he released me and I took off running toward the side of the ship. As I ran, I heard Hul keep his cover by shouting, "HEY! STOP!" His false rage only encouraged me to run faster.

Reaching the rail, I could heard the patter of boots as men darted in my direction due to Hul's distress. Without hesitating, I quickly climbed up on the top of the rail and then jumped feet first. My hand shot up at the same time to bring the water from below up toward me. Creating a slide like I had once long ago, felt my body make contact with the inclined ice and I slid toward the waves of the ocean. As my slide came to its end, I managed to create a bridge of ice in front of me.

"FIRE!"

Flames were thrust toward me in all directions from behind, but I tried to pay no attention to the burning element. Instead, I focused on trying to get off my butt and onto my legs. My body was no longer sliding since the incline had leveled out. With slippery feet, I managed to stand up only sliding a little. The waves rocked against my bridge, and from the dark of the night the sight was terrifying. If I fell in, I would most likely catch hypothermia or drown.

Keeping focus, I thrust my hand forward creating more to my icy bridge and heading a straight beeline toward land. Although land wasn't no more than two hundred yards, it felt like the longest two hundred yards of my life. My feet were bare and I had no coat on so I was freezing. Water from the waves and sea mist kept getting into my eyes, and it was hard for me to keep visual on the bridge I was continuously making. The fire I could see from my peripheral vision didn't make me feel any better.

Somehow, by both a miracle and adrenaline, I made it to the snowy bank of the North Pole. As my bare feet sunk into the freezing cold land, I looked back to see my icy bridge was breaking up and the fire had ceased. The soldiers must've realized their energy was being wasted, and returned to more important things.

My eyes shot toward the snow wall before me then, and I saw it towered a good fifty feet over me. The wall was indeed a huge protective barrier from anyone who wasn't able to waterbend through. Stepping up to the, I pressed my hand against the freezing barrier so I could lean and catch my breath. Running from a ship full of war hungry firebenders had definitely taken my strength and energy away. The adrenaline was wearing off, and with it my legs began to feel like jello-berry.

"Asok! Circle around the perimeter! Make sure none of those demons have breached our south wall!"

Shouts could be heard on the other side of the wall I stood at. The words were echoing through the air and fifty feet above like a wave crashing over. The snow beside me began to shift suddenly, and I gasped stumbling back. Only a moment later an arched doorway was formed and a young man emerged outside. He was in heavy blue-dyed furs, with dark pants, and had white war-paint on his face. His hands were gloved, and he had no weapon which revealed to me he was a waterbender.

The man, probably in his mid-twenties, turned his head in the direction away from me scouting out for the enemy. When he turned his head in my direction, it looked like he was seeing the most surprising sight in the world. His dark blue eyes looked over at me with fascination and disbelief. "Tui and La! What the moon spirits are you doing out here ki-"

He stopped, his eyes looking over my features with actual notice. He took in my bare feet, unkempt hair, freezing body, and panicked eyes. "Wait a second… Are you Chief Hakoda's daughter…? Your brother and sister told us about you… Crystal right? You're from the South Pole!"

At the mention of my brother and sister, I was both amazed and excited. "You know my family?! Are they inside? Are they safe?"

"Asok! What's going on out there?!" A voice echoed through the tunnel that Asok had created to get to the outside of the wall. "Are their firebenders? What do you see?"

Asok didn't answer his comrade on the other side of the wall. Instead he grabbed my arm and yanked me over to him. "Quick! Get inside!" He shoved me into the dark tunnel and I had no choice but to move my frozen legs. Everything was happening so fast. All I could gauge was that I was off of Zhao's ship, no longer a prisoner to the Fire Nation, and a kind waterbender from the Northern Water Tribe was getting me to safety.

The tunnel shut behind me only leaving light in the path in front of me. Asok shoved me along from behind, so I had no choice but to keep moving forward. As soon as I emerged from the tunnel, I felt my bare feet slip on flat paved ice and I fell back. Asok caught me from behind before I could crash into the hard ground.

"Close the tunnel!" Asok ordered. "It's all clear on the Southern perimeter! The ships are headed toward the wall to the west! Head there for backup!"

Shouts were heard, and I caught the sight of fifty men with whale tooth spears and steel swords running away from us to go obey Asok's orders. While this occurred, Asok lowered me to the ground so I was able to sit and catch my breath. Once he no longer needed to hold me up, he turned to an older man with white hair that had beads decorating throughout. The man was tall and strong, and he looked like he held some manner of authority.

"Master Pakku! We need to prepare to defend inside the perimeter. I don't know how much longer our walls will hold."

The man responded, "Very well. Go roundup the men at the palace. Prepare them for battle immediately."

The water tribe warrior nodded. Then he turned back to me. "Come on. I'll get you to safety until we can find your family."

"Who's this?" The older man stepped over to me and knelt so he could get a better look at me. "What was she doing on the outer walls?"

His accusing tone only made me defensive. "Hey! I'm not the enemy here! I'm a victim! I just escaped a ship trying to kill me!"

Asok was curious. "Escaped…? How?"

"Waterbending," I answered. My voice sounded weak from exhaustion. "I jumped overboard and created a bridge of ice to reach shore."

Pakku was surprised when I spoke this. Then realization came to him. "You're her… Crystal… Your brother and sister told me about you. You were Prince Zuko's prisoner from what I understand."

When he mentioned Zuko, I had to fight the urge to cringe with worry and agony. Was he okay? I hadn't seen him since his last visit. What if Zhao had caught him and killed him? What if the water tribe had caught him and killed him?

"Do you know where my family is?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not. They were going to assist the Avatar. That was the last I heard."

"I have to find them," I eagerly said. I somehow found my arms move and I used my hands to help me off the ground. Standing, I felt my bare feet burn in the snow but I ignored the pain.

Pakku ignored my request. Instead, he stood to his full height and took off his outer fur coat. Draping it over my shoulders, I was surprised by the sudden warmth. "Asok! Take Crystal to Chief Arnook. Make sure she's safe. Then get the troops together. We don't have much time." He looked down at me with determination. "You're safe now. You'll be reunited with your family very soon." He turned and took off then, heading a straight beeline toward the direction the other men had ran.

"Come on! We better hurry," Asok eagerly stated. He looked down at my feet which were turning blue from frostbite. "We won't get anywhere with you losing your toes." He turned and crouched slightly. "Hop on my back. Quick!"

I was astounded. This guy was going to give me a piggyback ride to the palace. Not disagreeing though, I quickly grabbed onto his shoulders. He found the bend of my knees on both sides and lifted me from the snow. As soon as my feet left the freezing cold earth, I had to grit my teeth at the pain that followed. The ice had caused my skin to blister over, and the pain from the damage made me almost miss my cell back on Zhao's ship. It only made me miss Zuko's warmth also.

As Asok began to carry me across the North Pole's inner city, I heard him try to make conversation with me. "Geez. You weigh nothing! Did those monsters feed you?"

I pressed my face into the hood of his coat as the wind pounded against me.

"Your brother Sokka told me about your captor some. That cruel Prince must've done a number on you. You look like you've been through war and back already. You're definitely a brave young lass."

"Prince Zuko didn't do this to me," I said, my voice broken as I missed the one young man I'd come to care for more than anything. "Zhao's the culprit."

My defensive statement toward Zuko caused Asok to fall quiet in thought.

Asok seemed to carry me for a good ten minutes across the enormous village. There were buildings made out of snow and ice that towered all around us, and the bridges stretching across an endless canal were elaborate in design. These people seemed to have it all, while my people back at the South Pole could barely hold up our tents half the time.

A harsh explosion suddenly sounded to the left of us, and screams were heard from the direction. Asok gasped, and I looked over at what he was seeing. Steam soared up toward the sky, and the giant wall was crumbled into nothing but a pile of snow. Men in dark Fire Nation armor were climbing over the massive pile with their spears ready, while others were already at the top shooting fire down at the warriors who had formed a line of protection.

"We have to hurry!" Asok sped up, but I knew he wouldn't get there fast enough with me on his back. "I have to get reinforcements."

"Put me down!" I ordered. "You won't make it in time."

Asok kept walking, ignoring my suggestion. "I promised I'd get you to safety!"

He wouldn't get me to safety if the Fire Nation broke through the fleet. "I won't be safe if the Fire Nation gets deeper into the tribe. Place me down. I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for three months now."

He was stumped, but he must've decided there were more important things to worry about. He placed me back down on the ground, and turned toward me. "Get to safety kid." Before I gave him false promises, he took off in the direction of the palace leaving me in the middle of the Northern Water Tribe. As he rushed off to get backup, I looked back toward the western wall that had been breached. I knew I had a choice…

Find my family, or help fight?

The Fire Nation soldiers shouted as they raced down the hill with their spears ready for battle. They ran toward the Water Tribe warriors who brandished their spears, clubs, swords, and other sharp tools. The firebending soldiers darted toward the men who were preparing to fight with the snow around them. Soon fire and water was being flung back and forth, and the sound of metal smashing into each other echoed across the air. The sight made me think back to my childhood, and I felt my hand press to my cheekbone where the scar decorated it clearly. The moonlight sent power through me as I knew what I had to do.

Ignoring the freezing of my feet, I threw off Arnook's heavy coat and raced across the smooth flat icy path before me. Racing over the bridge that extended across the canal, I brought up water from below and forced it to follow me as I rushed toward the battle before me.

My father would kill me if he saw what I was about. My brother would freak and force me to stop. My sister would call me a fool and plead for me to turn away. Zuko would be furious and hurt that I went against his wishes and joined the fight. None of them were there to stop me though.

There was no way I would be forced to watch my people die and do nothing to help. I'd had enough life and death situations already. If I died in battle, at least I knew I'd be dying for a good cause.

The waterbenders were managing to keep the firebenders occupied with constant water whips and ice spears. The firebenders were trying all they could to melt and dodge the attacks, while shooting some of their own. As the waterbenders flung another round of water at the enemy, I joined in this time shooting a large stream at the Fire Nation soldier nearest to me. My blast was from the side, so the soldier hadn't been expecting it. The water crashed hard into his side and made him knock into the man beside him. Both of the soldiers dropped into the snow beneath their feet. While they were down, I took the snow around them and forced it to move over their bodies. Then I tightened my hands into fists bringing the water molecules tight together to trap the men by an icy dome.

The Water Tribe warriors were amazed at my sudden assistance, and so were the Fire Nation soldiers. They all looked in my direction with bewilderment. The Fire Nation men quickly recovered though and prepared their blasts.

"Look out!"

My warning snapped the Water Tribe warriors out of their astonished states. The men quickly blocked the fire with icy shields, and the battle continued. As fire and water harshly crashed into one another constantly, I tried to assist the men as much as I could. The Fire Nation soldiers however continued to run over the desecrated wall and our enemies started to outnumber us. As this occurred, some of the firebenders decided to direct their attacks toward me.

It was as the flames shot toward me, I quickly realized I had no clue how to fight. I was good at the offense, but when it came to defense against three firebenders I really had no clue what to do. A few of the warriors noticed I was struggling, especially when one of the harsh blasts of flames hit my ice shield and I fell backward with an 'Oof' onto the snow. As the one who knocked me down lit another flame, I saw Master Pakku appear out of nowhere and bury the three men under a heavy layer of snow. As the men were buried alive, Master Pakku rushed over to me with irritation.

"What are you doing here?!"

I knew he was only outraged because I was a young teenage woman who shouldn't have been in such a battle ground. Standing up from the snow, I held my ground. "I was helping! You all looked like you could use some extra help."

Pakku looked like he wanted to argue. A shout rang from nearby, and he turned sharply throwing a stream of water at a soldier headed straight toward us. The soldier was knocked back hard into a pile of snow. I thought maybe Pakku would forget about me and return to the fight. He wasn't done though. He pointed at me sharply. "You're supposed to be with Asok headed to the palace!"

"I was slowing him down, so I told him to go without me. You all need the reinforcements."

Pakku looked like he wanted to yell at me some more. Instead, he snapped, "Get out of here! Last thing I need is you getting killed or captured again!" He turned and rushed back into the battle.

I watched him go with question. Why was he so concerned about my wellbeing?

"Kid! Watch out!"

At the warning from one of the warriors, I turned sharply and shot up a wall of ice blocking another blast of flames. I knew it would be a long battle, and I was ready to fight until I no longer could.

 **Zuko POV**

Staring down at the unconscious air bender, I felt as if my world was closing in on me. After fighting Crystal's sister and barely winning, I was lucky enough to escape with the Avatar while I had the chance. The waterbender had the advantage when the moon was up, but as the rising sun hit me I felt power flow through me. Attacking Crystal's sister was the only way I could get out of the Oasis room without losing my chance. I felt horrible for knocking the waterbender unconscious, but Crystal hadn't been there to see so my guilt was eased just a little.

Staring out of the cave toward the blizzard beyond, I wondered if Uncle had done as I requested. I told him to take Crystal and steal one of the dinghies before Zhao forced her onto land. Uncle was supposed to be rowing Crystal somewhere safe where I could somehow meet up with them. The plan had seemed great to begin with, but thinking upon it some more I realized one thing: It would take me forever to find Uncle and her on this giant stretch of land.

My worries only made me pace back and forth. I could feel the sun had set, and I knew exactly what that meant: the Fire Nation were most likely getting beat by the waterbenders. The Fire Nation's advantage was sunrise to sunset, while the waterbenders had the night. I knew staying hidden until the sun returned was my only option for getting out of the North Pole.

"I finally have you. But I can't get you home because of this blizzard," I mutter in irritation. "There's always something. Not that you would understand. You're like my sister. Everything always...came easy to her. She's a firebending prodigy – and everyone adores her." My fist tightened. "My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck though, I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am." Turning back to the unconscious boy, I narrowed my eyes. "I'll finally earn back the respect I deserve. You will be my ticket home."

As I spoke, the image of Crystal suddenly entered my mind. What about Crystal? My eyes shot out toward the blizzard raging beyond the cave. I hung my head, wishing I had an answer. I honestly didn't know what my father would do when I brought him Crystal with the Avatar. I could convince him to let me have her as a servant, but even then my father would never trust her.

I recalled a conversation my uncle and I had a few weeks ago. He'd asked me that exact same question…

 _"What about Crystal? You honestly think she'll be safe in the Fire Nation. Your father will have her imprisoned on the spot."_

 _My back was turned to Iroh as I stared at the dark water below. Crystal was asleep below deck in our room, and Uncle and I had been out for a late night stroll. We were headed north still, trying to catch up on the Avatar's trail._

 _"I'll convince father," I said softly. "He'll understand when I tell him how I feel."_

 _My Uncle sighed behind me. "You give your father too much credit Zuko. I've seen what he does to waterbenders. Crystal will be locked in a dark cell chained up for the rest of her days if you go through with this."_

 _I shook my head, shutting my eyes tight. I refused to believe him that my father could be so cruel. "He'll listen to me. Once I give him the Avatar, he'll give me anything I want. He'll have no choice but to allow Crystal to work for me."_

 _"Work for you?" Iroh stood beside me and I could see him shake his head. "You know Crystal would never go for that Prince Zuko. That girl is too strong willed to be tied down as some servant girl. Plus, you care about her too much. If your father sees the feelings you two have for one another, he'll pull her away from you immediately. She will end up in a cell one way or another."_

 _I scowled. "Then what do you propose I do?"_

 _My Uncle hung his head. "Zuko… You have to make a choice. You must choose between your honor and your heart. When the time comes, you must decide which of the two is more important to you."_

 _I frowned, and then gripped the rail hard. "No… I can have both. I'll find a way to have both."_

 _"If you find a way," Iroh began, "I will definitely be impressed."_

Letting out a heavy breath, I sat down on a rock jutting up beside the Avatar. With frustration, I dropped my head down into my hands wishing I had answers.

At least Crystal was safe though. Uncle wouldn't have let me down. She was on a boat with Iroh, and they were away from the battle. That thought could at least ease my worries.

 **Crystal POV**

Another sharp blast of flames shot toward me, and I gasped darting to the side. The fire hit the spot I'd been standing in and turned to steam. Sweat dripped down my forehead and I felt my limbs shake from fatigue. The soldiers wouldn't stop. They just kept coming and coming. The sun had set, and we had the advantage, but there were too many.

"Master Pakku! There are too many!" Asok's frantic shout could be heard over the battlefield. "What's your call?!"

Master Pakku smashed another stream of water towards three soldiers dashing toward him. They all were forced back and covered with a sheet of ice. "Keep up the guard! We can't allow them to break deeper into the city!" He then turned to me to order me to leave once again. "If you're going to disobey my orders then at least make sure the elderly, women, and children are all safe. After you do go find your family. You've done enough here!"

His orders made me feel an urge to protest, but I knew he was right. I wasn't doing much in this fight compared to the rest of the waterbenders around me. Out of the warriors who fought, I was the least experienced one. I'd only taken down maybe ten soldiers, and that was just by peer dumb luck for the most part. I knew if I left the battle no one would really know or care I was gone.

"I'll go make sure everyone's safe!" My promise was more of a motivation towards myself. I knew if I didn't leave the battlefield soon then I would probably just get in the way. The fighting was growing by the second, and with it so was the violence. Pakku had already saved my butt three times in the last twenty-minutes, so I knew I was only causing more of a burden.

Why had I joined the fight in the first place?

To save my people…? A distraction…? Or maybe it was a way for me to redeem myself after betraying my people and falling for the enemy? Whatever the reason, I knew the situation was becoming more than I could physically handle. If making sure the others in the village were safe was a way to help, then I would do as Pakku asked.

Turning on my heel, I raced away from the battle which raged behind me. I could hear the sound of shouts, cries of rage, and clashing spears as the fight between fire and water continued. As I raced through the snow, past numerous buildings that towered over me, and deeper into the Northern Water Tribe, I couldn't help but think about the sight around me for a brief moment. As I took in the massive tribe of the North, a feeling built inside that I immediately recognized as hurt.

Why didn't the Northern tribe send people down to assist our own tribe in the South? Father had sent in numerous requests for assistance over the years, and all we ever received was a ship with new supplies. Did the North not care about our people? They clearly were advanced enough to send some help to us in our time of need.

"Mommy! Mommy!" A small cry rang out from across the canal in front of me, bringing me out of my reverie. A young girl no older than six was walking around a building completely alone. She looked cold, and her shoulder length dark hair was uncovered and disheveled. Her eyes searched frantically for the one she was calling out for. What was she doing out on her own in the middle of the city?

Without hesitating, I rushed up to the girl who had tears falling down her cheeks and a runny nose. She saw me race toward her, and looked both surprised and cautious. Her eyes shot down to my bare feet and then up to my messy hair puzzled. My body had gone numb from the cold a long time ago, but the child's awareness of my missing warmth was noted.

"What are you doing out here? Where's your mom?"

The little girl's big green eyes were tear-filled when I addressed her. "We were going to the palace. Mommy said we'd be safe there. Mommy was taking me there, but then some scary men arrived and mommy had to fight. She used waterbending, and told me to run. I ran to hide and lost her."

Her words caused me to worry. If her mom was fighting the Fire Nation, there was no telling what happened. My eyes searched the area around us, but there was no one to be seen. Everyone must've closed themselves off in their homes or ran to the palace for protection. I knew the only thing I could do was get the girl to safety. Someone else would have to help her find her mom.

"What's your name sweetie?"

She sniffled. "Jana."

Holding my hand out, I said, "That's a pretty name. My name's Crystal. I'm a friend from the South Pole. Let's get you somewhere warm for now."

She nodded, and her gloved hand took my own. The sudden warmth stung my skin from frostbite, but I tried to ignore it. As I guided Jana through the snow, I was aware that if I were back in the South Pole this would be exactly what I'd do. Anytime the Fire Nation threatened to come to our village, father would leave me and my sister in charge of making sure the children and elderly were safe. Even if the North Pole wasn't my home, we were all part of the same nation. Even if the North abandoned my people to the cruelty of the Fire Nation, I wouldn't abandon them.

As we kept to the shadows of the snowy streets, and hid whenever we heard shouts from Fire Nation soldiers and Water Tribe warriors, I noticed something started to feel strange. It was only as we rounded a corner and headed toward an icy bridge that I understood. The moon above had changed color, and the color took some of my strength away. The dark red moon reflected on the buildings and snowy ground creating a blood stained world around us. The sight was horrifying, and also unsettling.

"The moon! The moon is red!" Jana jerked on my hand with astonishment. My eyes stared at the sky above in terror. Zhao's words came back to my mind.

 _"This battle will go down in history. I, Admiral Zhao, will make history! I will be a hero! I will wipe out the Water Tribe completely."_

Zhao had something to do with this turn of events, and I knew whatever it was could not be at all good.

"Jana!" An elderly voice shouted from nearby, and my eyes darted over to a building not too far from us. A kind looking woman with white hair and heavy wrinkles stepped out of the building which had a thick blanket draped over the doorway to block the wind. "Jana! What are you doing out here? Where's your mother?!"

The little girl let go of my hand and ran over to the elderly woman with relief. "Hatana! The moon is red! The moon is red!" She raced into the elderly woman's arms, and then hugged the woman tightly.

Hatana gazed toward where I stood a few feet away. She was amazed by my appearance, and immediately felt concerned. "You shouldn't be out in such a dangerous scene, young lady. Get inside. You can return to your family once the battle is over."

I shook my head, stepping back. "No... Take care of her. I have to find my family now."

The woman protested, but I ignored her taking off toward the icy bridge I'd originally been headed. The moon was still red as I rushed in a direction I hoped would take me toward Katara and Sokka. Of course, they could've been anywhere in this huge place, but I knew standing around wouldn't help me find them any sooner.

When the moon turned white again though, I stumbled in my step staring above in astonishment. Something strange was happening, and I had a feeling Zhao had his hands all over it. I knew from the myths of my tribe that the moon was a spiritual essence, and it was in harmony with the ocean. If Zhao was messing with the moon, then that meant he was somehow messing with spiritual forces. The thought made me sick. Could a man truly be so evil as to fiddle with the spirits? Of course, I knew the answer to my question.

The moon being white again strengthened me once more, and I hoped maybe the worst of it was over. Maybe Zhao had been defeated... Maybe whatever he was trying to do had been stopped, and everything was back to the way it was... However, just as I started on my way again thinking so optimistically, the world suddenly went black and I felt my strength leave me entirely.

The dark world around me made me gasp in terror. The moon was gone, and with it so was the light. There were some torches lit on certain buildings or canals, but the small amount of light did little to help me visualize my path. What was going on? What happened to the moon?

A hundred possibilities shot through my thoughts, but all of them were too far-fetched to be true. However, I was aware of one thing that I knew to be a fact: Zhao was behind the moons disappearance. The thought made me sick to my stomach. To make the whole moon disappear, Zhao must've done something beyond horrible. He had a motive though… Without the moon, the waterbenders would be powerless. Lifting my hand, I tried to feel the snow beneath my feet, but my connection to the water was gone. Without the moon, snow was just snow to me. The moon was where I drew power, and without it I felt weak.

Somehow, I managed to move forward through the dark world. For the first time ever, I longed for the sun to show itself and give some light. All I could see in front of me was illuminated buildings from torchlight, and the dark snow covered ground at my path.

It seemed as if I wandered through the dark tribe for hours, but I knew it was only minutes. At some point during my steps, I saw the canal beside me light up briefly with a shimmering blue light. Stepping over to the canal, I watched as a huge shining blue water creature maneuvered through the canal towards the direction where the ocean expanded outside the village. As the blue light turned a corner and disappeared from sight, I guessed what had happened.

The Avatar had somehow created a blue water monster that was heading to destroy the enemy. From tales of my tribe, I knew the Avatar was one who had the power to connect to the spiritual energy of the world. Whatever Aang was doing, he had gone into the Avatar state. Aang was at his fullest strength, and the Fire Nation was about to fall. I really hoped Iroh was off the ship, as well as the rest of the old crew. Whatever Aang had turned into, I knew he wouldn't think twice about smashing the enemy down.

"Well this is a surprise," a cold voice hissed from some feet behind me. The voice belonged to the one man I thought I'd never have to see again. My eyes widened and my blood ran cold. Turning around slowly and with dread, I stared at my enemy while shivers coarsed through my spine. Sure enough, Zhao stood a few paces from me. His armor was disheveled and his eyes looked slightly frantic. He however seemed pleased to discover me out alone in the North Pole. "I thought maybe I'd lost my prize, but it looks like it just came back to me."

Scowling, I lifted my hand to shoot water at the man before me. However, the connection between me and my element was gone. My eyes widened when I realized this. I was done for... I had no weapon against the psychotic man before me. Zhao grinned when he saw I was defenseless.

"You have no power anymore. The moon spirit is dead, and with it so is waterbending."

My heart skipped a beat. What... No...

"The moon spirit... Dead?" I stepped back in horror. "That can't be..."

Zhao took a step toward me. He was pleased by my disbelief. "It's true. I killed the moon spirit with my own hands! _I_ have defeated your people!"

I shook my head. "No! The Avatar's still out there! We still have a chance!"

Zhao laughed hard. "A chance? Your hope is amusing."

I held my ground. I tried to sound strong, but I knew my voice only showed I was scared. "It's over Zhao. Even if you head back to the ship now, the warriors will stop you."

He ignored my false hope, and headed toward me. I backed away with fear not wanting to be his prisoner. At the moment I just wanted to be with my family, or in Zuko's arms...

My heart accelerated as I suddenly realized my predicament. My foot met air, and I was forced to stumble forward with surprise. Turning my head to see what lay behind me, I saw the canal's ice cold water streaming below. I was trapped between Zhao and drowning.

"Yes. You make a good point," he calmly said. "I was worried I'd have trouble getting past the water tribe warriors, but with you they'll have to let me through. They wouldn't risk hurting their own. You're my ticket out of here."

Zhao took a few more steps toward me, and I did the only thing I could do. Darting to the right, I took off as fast as my bare feet could carry me. However, I didn't make it far. Flames shot from behind me, and only a moment later I felt the burning element eat through my shirt into the skin on my back. Falling in the snow from the blinding pain, I pressed my face into the cold water trying to muffle the scream that wanted to escape. The searing pain on my back felt like a thousand knives were slicing along the surface.

Zhao laughed hard at my attempt. "Your foolish to think that would've worked." He grabbed my shirt collar, and I gasped as he forced me up. The movement sent more fire through my back. Without much choice, I found my feet again and stood straight. My hair was soaked from the snow, and my shirt was heavy from the cold wet ground. My back ached but was becoming numb from the icy chill of the wind. "Come on! We have a Fire Lord to get back to! You're my ticket to honor!"

He started to shove me roughly through the snow in the direction I'd just come. As we went I struggled and kicked back at him, but his strong grip was unbreakable. He had me, and I knew he wouldn't risk letting me go.

"Let go of me!" I tried to dig my bare feet into the snow, but I just slid forward helplessly. "I'm not your prize! I can't even waterbend anymore! Why would the Fire Lord want me?! I'm just a girl!" I tried to knock some sense into the man that clearly had lost what little mind he had. "There are plenty of other waterbenders out there! You won't gain anything by taking me prisoner!"

Zhao growled. "Shut up! As long as you get me out of this place, I don't care!"

I kicked back at him again. "These people don't care what happens to me! They don't even know me!"

"I said shut up, you brat!" He threw his hand over my mouth to try and shut me up. I did the next thing that crossed my mind. Opening my mouth, I bit down hard breaking skin between his thumb and index finger. He yelped and jerked his hand away, then smashed his fist on the back of my head. My skull pulsed, my vision blurred, and I stumbled as the wind was knocked out of me. "You'll regret that!"

Somehow I managed to catch myself from falling, and with a splitting head I tried to struggle once more in Zhao's grip.

"No. _You'll_ regret that!"

The voice I suddenly heard was music to my ears. I felt my heart skip a beat as I realized my hero had come. A powerful flame shot in front of us which forced Zhao's shoving to stop. He yanked me back as a dark silhouette jumped swiftly in our path. A second later, a flame was lit illuminating a very furious prince.

Zhao was horrified, and I felt his grip loosen slightly as he saw the ghost of his past. "What? Impossible! You're alive?!"

Zuko looked infuriated, and I could only guess why. He cared about me, and Zhao had just assaulted me. "You tried to have me and Crystal killed!"

My body was pulled back as Zhao tried to gain us some distance from the infuriated prince with the flame. "Of course I did! You're the Blue Spirit! An enemy to the Fire Nation. You freed the Avatar! And as for the girl… I had no clue she'd be with you on the ship."

Zuko's flame only intensified. "You think I care! You still almost killed us both!" He stepped forward, his shining eyes burning with determination. "And I had no choice but to free the Avatar! There was no way I'd let you take away my only chance at going home!"

"You should've chosen to accept your failure – your disgrace! Then, at least you could've lived!"

Zhao threw me to the side then, and I fell hard in the snow. As I sunk into the cold liquid, I immediately saw flames shoot back and forth across the dark air. Coming out of my daze, I scrambled to try and find my feet. Zhao tried to make a run for it, but Zuko was hot at his heels. They both ended up on the bridge that crossed the canal, and I could see that Zuko definitely had the advantage.

While they fought, I stared up at the sky praying the moon would return. I felt useless and wanted to help. Although my body was exhausted, I couldn't bear the thought of seeing Zuko get hurt. I knew Zuko was confident he could win, but I still wanted to help him fight. To my luck, my prayers were answered. The moon illuminated the sky once more, shining bright as if it were a beacon of hope. My strength felt renewed as my connection to the water beneath me was returned. My head still pulsed from where Zhao knocked it, but I tried to ignore the pain.

Racing forward, I used a long stream of water from the canal to fling up toward the bridge and smash into Zhao's back. The water crashed into him hard, and I knew he hadn't seen it coming. He was forced onto his belly with a painful thud. I rushed over to the bridge, watching as he managed to recover. By the time I reached the start of the bridge, he was back to his feet.

"What…" He glanced over at me in shock. "How did you-" He looked up at the moon above as he got to his feet. "No! It can't be!"

Zuko held his hand out palm toward me, which forced me to stop my advance up the bridge. His gaze met my own, and I understood what he wanted. Nodding, I stayed my distance to let Zuko have his revenge. He turned back to Zhao and stepped toward the disheveled man. Zhao had staggered back and clutched the side of the bridge in defeat.

"Looks like you failed..." Zuko stepped over to him. "Now who's the one who needs to accept their disgrace?"

Zhao gritted his teeth and glared daggers at Zuko. Zuko took another step, ready to give Zhao everything he deserved. However, the water beside us shined blue again and a huge form began to rise from the canal. The shape of a hand, made completely out of glowing water, stretched up toward the bridge that Zhao and Zuko stood on. I watched in silent amazement and horror as the watery hand inched towards the two firebenders. Two my relief, the hand grabbed onto a very surprised Zhao lifting up in the air.

Zhao screamed, thrashing and trying to escape the spiritual force that had grabbed hold of him. As Zhao struggled, Zuko's humanity came out as he rushed forward holding his hand out towards the man. "Take my hand!" Zhao stared down at Zuko's hand as if debating what to do. At first he looked like he would take it, but then he yanked his hand away. Zhao hung his head in knowing defeat, and in the blink of an eye the glowing hand dropped back in the canal. Zhao was dragged into the water, and the blue glow disappeared taking its victim with it.

Silence fell over the air, and Zuko and I stood in amazement at what had just occurred. However, Zuko recovered and turned to me quickly. Racing back down the bridge, he suddenly grabbed my shoulders with disbelief. "What are you doing here?! I thought you were going to be with Uncle waiting for me!"

His questioning knocked me out of my shock. Staring into his ember eyes speechlessly, I could see he was completely tired and beaten. He looked like he'd been through as much as I had, and I knew we were both at our limits.

"Iroh sent Hul to help me escape... He wanted me out of Zhao's reach. I made an icy bridge to reach land and then got through the walls of the city."

I tried to explain it to him, but I could tell he wasn't pleased. However, he let out a heavy sigh and dropped his hands from my shoulder. "I guess all that matters is you're okay." His hand caressed my cheek, and he lowered his forehead with exhaustion against my own. He shut his eyes, and I felt his warm breath on my frost bitten face. "Are you hurting?"

I frowned, leaning against him more as his question rekindled the burning sensation in my back and dull pain in my head. "I'm okay... Just sore..."

Zuko shut his eyes tighter, hating the thought of me being hurt. He however knew there were other things to worry about. "We need to go... Uncle will meet up with us outside of the tribe."

Nodding, I went to say something else but stopped. A commotion occurred behind me, and I knew immediately Zuko would be targeted by our pursuers. The both of us looked at the intruders with shock. Five Water Tribe warriors were rushing forward towards us, and I watched them approach with horror. They stopped a few paces away, and Zuko grabbed my arm pulling me behind as if to protect me.

To my surprise, Asok was one of the men in the group. He stepped forward with a tightened fist. "Surrender Firebender! You're outnumbered! Your people have lost!"

The young man before me didn't waver in his strength. "The Fire Nation will never lose."

The warrior scowled, but then realization hit him. He saw Zuko's hand holding firm to my arm, and understanding flashed across his expression. "Wait... You're Prince Zuko! The Fire Lord's son." He seemed to express such thrill as if the Northern Water Tribe had just won the war. "You're just what we need to stop this war." His eyes shot over to me then. "I suggest you let the girl go, and we won't hurt you too terribly."

Zuko's own fist tightened, and I knew he was ready to fight until his last breath. "I'm not surrendering to anyone. And she stays with me."

Asok narrowed his eyes. "It's over. Let go of the girl. You have nowhere to run!"

"I don't give up that easily."

Zuko let me go and got into a stance ready to fight. My eyes widened at what was about to transpire. The warriors grabbed their spears and water ready to attack Zuko with all their might. I could only imagine the horrible things they would do to Zuko. They'd torture him... They'd chain him up... They'd maybe even kill him...

"No!" Rushing around Zuko, I stood between him and the men with horror. My heart rate accelerated as I prepared to do what I knew would mark me as a traitor. I refused to let Zuko be taken by these men though... I refused to let someone I cared deeply about be captured by my own people. "Leave him alone!"

Asok and the other Water Tribe warriors were amazed by my defense. A few of the waterbenders who had prepared to fight seemed to waver in their stance. Asok stared at me with bewilderment. He snapped, "What are you doing?! Step aside, kid! He's the enemy!"

I stepped back as if to block Zuko from my own people. I knew I couldn't block him completely because he was taller than me. I could still get my point across though. They weren't taking him unless they went through me.

"I won't let you hurt him!"

"Crystal… It's okay," Zuko said softly. "I can handle this."

His words didn't make me waver. I stood my ground. The thought of Zuko being captured by the Water Tribe was too awful for me to bear. I wouldn't let them destroy the one guy I'd come to love.

"No one's getting to him without going through me first!" My heart quickened. My hands shook as my blood accelerated. "You'll have to fight me for him."

Asok narrowed his eyes. "Have you lost your mind. What would your brother or sister say if they saw you now? Your adding the very Prince that has kept you prisoner for months!"

He was trying to make me guilty, but I refused to waver in my pose. "Keep my family out of this! What I do has nothing to do with them!"

I knew that was wrong though... When Katara and Sokka discovered my treachery, they would be truly disappointed.

"I thought you were Chief Hakoda's kid?! You would betray your father by helping this firebender... this monster?! You would betray your people by helping the enemy's Prince?! Get some sense in your head!" Asok was trying to convince me, but my mind was already set. "You help the enemy now, and you'll be a traitor to your people. There will be no turning back Crystal!"

Frowning, I hung my head for a slight moment. My stance didn't waver though. Then lifting my eyes back to Asok, I stated, "Looks like I'm a traitor then..." With an abrupt fling of my hand, a wave of snow lifted from beside the men and fell over them. They gasped as they were avalanched in a pile of cold wet mush. As they were momentarily stunned, I grabbed Zuko's hand and yanked him in the direction away from the men. He ran behind, able to keep up without trouble.

We ran for what felt like an eternity, turning corner after corner to try and gain distance from the men I had buried under snow. Eventually we reached the south wall of the Northern Water Tribe, and I managed to push the snow around to create a tunnel for us to walk through. We quickly escaped to the outside perimeter, and then the both of us froze in bewilderment at the sight before us. Every Fire Nation ship from the fleet was destroyed or fleeing from the city. It appeared that the blue glowing spiritual force had attacked more than just Zhao.

Zuko was the first to speak, his eyes scanning over the debris before him in horror. "What happened…?"

I answered knowing immediately. "Aang… He did it. He stopped the invasion..."

The ships on fire began to sink into the ocean, while the fleeing ships grew smaller as they rushed back to the Fire Nation where they belonged. I wondered if Zuko's old crew had survived the battle. I couldn't picture any of those kind men dead. The thought of it made me sick. It was strange that I was concerned for the well being of those who were supposed to be my enemy. I had truly become a traitor...

"Come on… We should go find somewhere warm until we figure out where Uncle is." Zuko stepped in front of me to try and bring my focus back to what was important. Then his eyes shot down to my feet, as if noticing them for the first time. The moon had started to set, but Zuko could see my pale bare feet sunken in the snow.

"Where are your shoes?!"

I smiled weakly. "I haven't had any since Zhao took me prisoner. He didn't want me to be comfortable. Don't worry though... They went numb hours ago."

"That's not a good sign!"

He looked worried, and I immediately tried to reassure him. "It's okay... I'm from the South Pole. I can deal with the cold."

He looked like he wanted to scold me some more, but he must've decided there was more important things to do. His hand suddenly went behind my back, and his other arm scooped under my knees. I gasped when I was suddenly lifted from the snow and cradled in Zuko's arms. "Zuko! What are you-"

He cut me off. "I think we should head along the perimeter. Hopefully there's a cave somewhere we can sit in." He started to walk, and I blushed heavily as his warm arms held me close to him. He didn't seem to falter at all as he carried me across the snow. I pressed my ice-cold cheek into his warm shirt so glad to be with him again. I'd missed his warmth. I'd missed him.

Eventually we found a cave a good distance from the city. Zuko placed me down before we approached, and my feet burned as the cold snow hit my blistered skin again. We both stepped toward the cave, only to hear a voice from behind.

"Zuko! Crystal!" Our eyes widened, and we turned toward the owner of the voice in astonishment. Iroh was headed our way on a makeshift raft. Where he got it I will never know. How he found us I will never know. All I know is Zuko and I were glad to see a familiar face. Zuko beamed with relief, while I let out a heavy sigh.

Iroh managed to use a rope attached to a small sail to guide the raft our way. When he finally hit shore, he gestured for us to get on. Neither of us questioned him. Where he got the raft would remain a mystery. He may have found it inside the city. He may have found it outside the city. Only Iroh would know the original whereabouts of his wooden flotation device. All I cared about, was we had a way to get Zuko away from my people.

Once we were on the raft, Iroh began to steer us away from shore. As we headed south, I couldn't help but stare back at the icy land before me. As we grew further away from my family, I shut my eyes knowing I'd just made the biggest decision of my life.

I was a traitor, and my family would soon know of my betrayal.

Would I ever see them again...? Even if I did, there was no telling what they'd say...

I'd chosen Zuko over my family... My own flesh and blood...

There was no turning back.


	18. A New journey

**Greetings everyone!**

 **Here's the next chapter. Sorry it took a while, but midterms have come around and I'm slammed. Here's a chapter for you all to thank you for being so patient with me. Also, I want to let everyone know that Crystal will reunite with her family soon. Just be patient.**

 **Thanks,**

 **Faithy Waithy**

* * *

We'd been adrift for what felt like days, but was actually only a few hours. The water seemed endless, and there still was no sign of land. Zuko slept with exhaustion, the sail shading him from the blazing hot sun that rose an hour ago. Sitting on the raft cross legged, I moved the water at our makeshift boat in a repetitive motion trying to keep us moving. Iroh sat a few inches beside me, watching my movements with concern.

"You've been at it for hours now. You should take a break," he insisted. "You need your rest, just as I told Zuko."

I smiled weakly. It had been four hours since we'd left the North Pole… Four hours since I'd officially become a traitor. Iroh wanted me to take a break, but waterbending was a distraction I didn't want to lose. My mind kept trying to shoot back to thoughts of my family. My mind kept trying to shoot back to thoughts of my dad… Gran-Gran… Sokka… Katara… I'd just betrayed them all.

My heart weighed heavy with confusion and uncertainty. What had led me to such a rash decision? What had led me to betray my people so easily? I knew the answer though. My eyes trailed over to Zuko, who seemed to be more at peace than he had been in a very long time.

Zuko… I'd become a traitor for Zuko…

"I'm okay," I lied to Iroh. "I can keep it up for a few more minutes."

Iroh sighed heavily. He then looked at the horizon before us. We sat in silence for a few minutes, the both of us not having much to say. After a while, Iroh broke the silence. "Thank you, Crystal... I'll never be able to repay you for what you did this morning. Zuko would've been a prisoner if it wasn't for you."

His sincere gratitude startled me. However, I recovered continuing to move the raft through the water with my bending. "He probably could've handled them himself… I just didn't want anyone to get hurt…" My hands stopped their constant movement as I gave my arms a small break. The raft slowed as the extra push of the waves dispersed back into the sea. "I've heard stories from my father about what our people do to Fire Nation men we take captive. Zuko would've been killed or tortured if the North Pole got their hands on him."

He was surprised by this information. "I always imagined the Water Tribe to be a peaceful nation. I can't imagine such brutal treatment coming from your people."

My hands ran through my tangled hair. It was in deep need of a good brushing. Actually, it was in need of a wash. "My people have struggled to survive for many years. Some are still the kindhearted people you're imagining, but others have turned hard. War has taken the best out of people and turned their ways. If my mom were still alive, I have no doubt my father wouldn't have abandoned our tribe the way he did. In his eyes though, revenge towards the Fire Nation became his number one goal. He desired to destroy the people who took away his wife."

Iroh wanted to know more. "So your mother was killed by the Fire Nation?"

Staring down at my crossed-legs, I nodded in reply.

"Is that how you got your scar?"

My hand automatically rose up to my cheekbone where the skin was discolored. I shut my eyes remembering the pain that had coursed through my skin. The smell of burning flesh was unforgettable as well.

"She'd told me to run… When the Fire Nation entered she told me to leave the hut… I was too scared for her to leave her behind…"

I stopped speaking, realizing what was happening. I was telling the one story only my family knew to a man who was supposed to be my enemy. Looking over at Iroh though, I didn't see him in such a way. He was my friend. Actually, he was like an uncle to me.

In my tribe, the people are all close-knit and act like everyone is blood related. For many men in the village, my father calls them his brothers even though our relations are distant in blood. For the women of the tribe, my mom used to call them her sisters. The tribe is designed to be one huge family. However, I never truly felt that way. I suppose after my mom died, I preferred to be more on my own than associate with the people of the South Pole. Looking back, I realized I barely associated with anyone in the tribe apart from my Gran Gran, Sokka, and Katara. Now here I was, calling a man I'd only known for a few months an Uncle figure… I was beginning to feel far more distant from my people by the day.

"You should get some sleep… You need it," Iroh encouraged, seeing my mind had suddenly gone some other place.

The thought of sleep made my gut tighten. I feared that if I went to sleep I would dream about my family and their disappointment. I feared that I would be forced to face them, and see the hurt on their face at my betrayal.

"I'm alright… You rest first. I'll wake you when I reach my breaking point," I promised. "I just want to think right now."

Iroh sighed heavily. "They'll forgive you, Crystal. They're your family."

I nodded, but didn't respond. Instead, I began to move my arms again to return to controlling the water around our raft. As the waves hit our transportation once more, and we moved forward back towards the Earth Kingdom, I stared at the water trying to sink my thoughts away.

 **Zuko POV**

My eyes opened, but quickly shut when the sun burned into them. The rocking of the raft made me nauseous and my throat was parched. There was no telling how long I'd been asleep, but from the direction the sun burned into my eyes I estimated it had been a good six hours. When I finally managed to open my eyes, I had to turn my head to the side so the sun didn't blind me. Looking over, I saw Uncle was lying on his side asleep. Crystal was still awake though, and I saw her hand move back and forth in a repeated motion as she pulled waves at the back of our raft.

Sitting up, I grimaced at how sore my muscles felt. My movement surprised Crystal, and she turned her head my way startled. When she saw it was just me waking up, she turned back away and stared at the water before her.

Moving carefully so I didn't flip the raft, I managed to scoot over to her without bumping into Uncle. "You're still awake?"

My question only earned a slight glance, and then a small nod. When her eyes shot my way, I could see how tired and worn she was. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she looked like she could crash at any moment.

"You should sleep. You haven't since you left Zhao's ship."

She shook her head. "I don't want to sleep… Being up distracts me."

Her words made me fall silent. At first I wondered what she needed a distraction from, but then I understood. Crystal had just helped me escape the North Pole, and in doing so she was now a traitor to her own people. She probably felt as lost and scared as I had when I was banished from the Fire Nation.

I knew from experience, changing the subject was the best cure. "How are your feet? They were pretty blistered up from the snow and ice."

She shrugged. "They're fine. I healed them up some with water while you were asleep. They should be back to themselves in a day or two."

She fell quiet again. The both of us sat not sure what to do or say. As we sat in silence, I couldn't help but actually _see_ Crystal for the first time since we'd escaped the North Pole. Her hair was tangled, most likely from being locked up in a cell for so many weeks. Her skin was bruised up, and also blistered from the cold air. Her clothing was covered with dirt and wrinkled from dry water. The one thing that concerned me most, was she looked like she'd lost even more weight than when she was back on my ship.

"Zuko… I'm fine," she said suddenly. My eyes shot up to meet her gaze as she looked at me with knowing. "You need to worry more about yourself. We're about to go into the Earth Kingdom, and from what I've gathered over the weeks you're not exactly welcome in such a land."

She was trying to distract me from her problems, and bring me back to the problems before us. I ignored her though, too concerned to think about anything else. She'd stopped her movements, and the raft had slowed to a drift without the assistance of her bending. Her azure eyes looked foggy and out of focus.

Finally, I knew what to say. "I never said thank you."

My words surprised her. Her face turned puzzled. "Thank you? For what?"

I hung my head with a grimace. "I would lie and say I could've handled those men on my own, but I know the truth. If you weren't there, I would've definitely been captured. My fight against Zhao had been the last of my energy. When I saw the warriors prepare to fight me, I knew I wouldn't be able to win. You saved me…" My eyes met hers. She was bewildered by my gratitude. "Thank you for not leaving me."

A pause fell between us, and I wondered if maybe I'd said something wrong. However, she smiled that smile I'd come to love, and I knew I'd done the right thing.

"If I left you, I'd have to break you out of the North Pole's dungeons. That would've been too much work."

Her statement threw me off. When I saw the laughter in her eyes though, I could tell she was trying to joke. Her optimism made me smile, ever so slightly. "Yeah… I guess so."

She sighed heavily then, and turned her body carefully so she was facing me. She bit her lip like she always did when she wanted to say something but didn't know how to say it.

Finally, she took in a deep breath. "Honestly, the thought of you being prisoner made me sick to my stomach." She stared down at her hands which rested on her knees. "I couldn't bear the thought of seeing you at the mercy of my people… They would've tortured you… or worse. I couldn't-" Her voice caught in her throat, and I was surprised to see tears form in her eyes. "I couldn't watch them torture you... I couldn't watch them kill you… The thought of what they would've done to you… I- I would've never been able to sleep at night knowing-"

I broke the distance between us, suddenly wrapping my arms around her shaking frame. The raft wobbled at the quick movement, but evened out. She was tense at first, but eventually relaxed in my embrace. She fell into my thick coat, her face pressing into the fabric as her tears continued to fall. I was aware she was crying more from exhaustion than anything else. I hugged her closer, pressing my face into her hair wishing I could do more.

 **Katara POV**

The young warrior hung his head in dismay as he finished telling the chief what my ears didn't want to believe. Chief Arnook sat on his throne, his face hard as he tried to keep his grief at a minimum. He'd just lost his daughter to the moon, and although she had saved her people in the process, he was suffering greatly from his loss.

"This can't be true! She wouldn't do such a thing! There has to be an explanation!"

Sokka was trying to keep his grief to a minimum as well. He'd loved the chief's daughter Yue, and having to watch her sacrifice herself to the moon had been one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do. He didn't want to believe on top of everything else that our sister had turned her back on our people.

The warrior frowned deeply, his nose red from digging out of the snow. "You heard me and the rest of the men, Sokka. We were buried beneath your sister's attack. She knew what she was doing the moment she stepped in front of the firebender."

Sokka stepped towards the young warrior who was probably ten years older. He tried to size the warrior up, not wanting to face the inevitable that our sister had chosen a firebender over her people.

"Crystal would never betray us! I know her! She's been hurt too much by the Fire Nation in the past! She's been Prince Zuko's prisoner for months! There's no way she'd help him escape after everything he's done to her!"

"Calm down, Sokka," Chief Arnook ordered.

It was the first time he'd spoken since the warriors entered the palace throne room to give their message to the tribe. After Aang had returned from using the Avatar state to defeat Zhao's fleet, we'd gone to the Chief with heavy hearts to tell him of Yue's sacrifice. The Chief was already accompanied by other warriors who looked to have gone through war and back, and they definitely had. Master Pakku was in the crowd as well, and seemed to be as tired as the rest of the men. The Northern Water Tribe had managed to take on a few prisoners, but Prince Zuko and his crazy Uncle were not among the captives. And Crystal… she was nowhere to be seen…

"No! There is no way my sister would attack her people! This guy has no clue what he's saying!" Sokka pointed a finger at the warrior in rage, who managed the whole time to keep a composed face.

Chief Arnook stood then, and approached the warrior and Sokka with weary steps. "Sokka… Asok is one of my most trusted warriors. He states that your sister helped the Fire Nation prince escape, and I believe him."

Sokka turned towards the Chief with disbelief. "You can't believe this! I know my sister, and she would never attack her own. Zuko must've made her or something! She must've been force-"

"Sokka!" I finally spoke up for the first time since we'd gotten to the palace. "Enough!"

The men in the room looked over at me with surprise. Aang stood beside me and was bewildered when he heard my voice. Sokka seemed to want to protest, but when he saw the weariness and distraught on my expression, he finally stepped away from Asok in defeat.

Chief Arnook let out a heavy sigh. "Let's continue this discussion later after everyone has had some rest. We all have been through much trouble today. Everyone go home to your families and celebrate our victory. I will ponder over what shall be done about our sister from the Southern Water Tribe."

As if a river was parted, the men in the room all tiredly made their way out of the palace. The room took a moment to clear out, but finally all that were left was Chief Arnook, Master Pakku, Sokka, Aang, myself, and a few of palace guards. The commotion in the room was finally gone, and a silence filled the air only for a moment.

Sokka still wasn't done with his rebuttal though. "I can't believe this! There's no way Crystal would help that monster escape. She must've been put up to it. She must've been brainwashed or something. There has to be an explanation!" He started to pace back and forth. Chief Arnook had returned to his throne with a contemplative expression. Master Pakku shook his head in disbelief. Aang looked over at me with knowing. I hung my head realizing that Aang knew the truth as much as myself.

"Crystal knew exactly what she was doing." I spoke the truth, and although I didn't want it to be true, Sokka needed to know. "She helped Zuko escape of her own free will."

He stopped pacing and turned to me still unable to believe our sister would do such a thing. "Why would she?! He's her captor! That doesn't make any sense!"

Crossing my arms, I felt shivers run down my spine as I knew the answer. "She doesn't see it that way."

There was a pause as my words floated through the air. Aang sighed beside me, wishing my words weren't as real as they were.

Sokka was amazed. "What are you talking about?"

My heart ached. "Remember when I was captured by Zuko and tied to the tree… Well we had a conversation… Turns out that Crystal and Zuko have gotten pretty close over the months they've been together… I think…" I stopped, not wanting to say it out loud. The very thought made my stomach sick.

"You think what?"

Sokka's question made my words catch in my throat. Finally, I found my voice again.

"I think Crystal helped Zuko because she… Because she has feelings for him."

My words hung in the air. Aang rubbed the back of his neck not liking the awkward silence. Sokka fell speechless, not sure how to respond. Chief Arnook and Master Pakku seemed shocked by my reveal.

"Feelings…?" Sokka couldn't fathom what I was trying to say. Or he didn't want to. "You think Crystal actually likes… No…" He shook his head in refusal. "There's no way! Crystal isn't that foolish to fall in love with such a monster! She wouldn't fall in love with a firebender!"

Aang cleared his throat. "Well… Love works in strange ways, Sokka… I mean, back when I traveled around the Fire Nation a hundred years ago there were tons of Fire Nation men married to Earth Kingdom women. Just because your of two different nations doesn't me-"

"I could care less if she fell in love with someone from the Earth Kingdom! What I do care about is the thought of my sister falling for the sworn enemy's son!"

I spoke up again. "I don't like it either, Sokka. But if it's really the case, then there's nothing we can do about it."

Chief Arnook stood from his throne again, and his voice held the authority that had been lacking earlier. "There is something we can do about it. I've reached my decision. As of today, Crystal is a traitor to her tribe and people. I do not speak for the Southern Water Tribe, but as for my own I decree that your sister is not welcome in the Northern Water Tribe. If she returns here, she will be marked as a sworn enemy and taken into custody." He then turned to Master Pakku. "Try to find out Chief Hakoda's location. It is important we notify him on his daughter's treachery."

My eyes widened. My blood seemed to go cold. Sokka was horrified by the Chief's order. Aang seemed to want to argue, but knew it would do no good.

Master Pakku surprisingly spoke up. "Sir… May I speak." Chief Arnook was surprised, but nodded in response. Master Pakku looked over at us as if to try and reassure us it would be alright. He then met Chief Arnook's questioning gaze. "If what's said is true, then of course we should be upset that the child has fallen for the enemy. However, I must disagree with you that she herself is the enemy. Many of my warriors can vouch for me when I say, that child fought hard for her people during the battle today. When she was found outside the walls, I ordered Asok to bring her to the palace. She refused to obey and assisted me and my men in the battle. She did not fight for the Fire Nation. She fought for her people. She refused to let the Fire Nation destroy our home and tribe. It was not her home, yet she fought to protect us all. I can't say I'm thrilled she put an avalanche over my men, but up until then all she cared about was keeping your people safe. And honestly, she didn't harm anyone. A few runny noses won't be the end of the world."

There was another pause as Arnook took in this new information. I was astounded by what Pakku had said. Crystal had helped fight beside the waterbenders and warriors. She could've gotten killed fighting against Fire Nation soldiers! However, the thought of her defending our people made me proud. She wasn't switching sides of the war… She was just following her heart. Even though her heart was held by the enemy.

The chief seemed to ponder heavily over all that was said. Then he sighed for what felt like the fiftieth time. "I suppose that does change things…" His eyes shot over to the three of us, who stood in the room with uncertainty and despair. "However, I can't forget the fact that your sister assisted in the escape of the Fire Lord's son. In my eyes that is still treason to her people. I will not tell your father of this, but you two should be aware of how serious this matter is. If you can convince your sister of how foolish her actions are, and she apologizes formally to my people, then we will oversee her transgressions and welcome her back as our Water Tribe sister."

His words made both Aang and I shoot one another relief. Crystal hadn't been completely banished from the Northern Water Tribe, which meant Arnook would most likely not send word to father. Father already knew from Bato that our sister was captured by the Fire Nation. The last thing dad needed to worry about was Crystal falling for the very people who killed mom.

Sokka seemed to agree with Chief Arnook's new view on the matter. "Don't worry, Chief. I'll knock some sense into my sister. When I'm through with her, she'll remember who the true enemy is."

Later that morning, we found ourselves back in the room we were staying in. As Sokka prepared his mat for much needed sleep, and also to think about everything that had transpired, I couldn't contain myself anymore. Aang and I had been quiet after Arnook dismissed us, and I wanted to speak so terribly. Finally, I did.

"Sokka… If she really loves Zuko, then there isn't much you can do… From what I gather, Crystal loved Zuko enough to turn against the Water Tribe. It won't be easy to convince her not to have feelings for him."

Aang also added his thoughts. "Yeah… You can't really stop love… If its fate then-"

Sokka interrupted. "This isn't fate! This is craziness! We'll get her back from that monster, and once she's no longer his captive she'll see clearly. She's obviously very confused… Who knows what Prince Zuko has done to her in the three months she's been with him. We just need to remind her what's real and not real!"

Aang and I knew there was no longer a point in arguing with Sokka. With defeat, the two of us went to our own sleeping areas to get the rest we all needed. As I slid under my covering, I shut my eyes saying softly, "What's going on in your head sis…" Then I said in my thoughts. "Take care of her mom…"

 **Crystal POV**

"A ship!"

My eyes shot open as Zuko's shout brought me out of my sleep. When Zuko had held me in his arms, I'd been so comfortable that I couldn't stop myself from drifting. I wasn't sure how long I'd been out, but when I opened my eyes I could see the sun was already lowering in the sky. Iroh was awake, his hands on the sail of our raft as he tried to direct it towards what Zuko was seeing. Zuko stood with his hand on the pole of the raft, his finger pointing at something ahead. Both of them looked excited and relieved. Sitting up, I followed Zuko's pointer finger to the ship he saw. A good distance ahead of us, there was a shape on the horizon that could definitely be interpreted as a ship. My stomach growled at the thought of the nourishment I was much lacking. My skin ached from the sunburn I'd developed. My heart leaped at the thought of rescue and civilization. We'd been on the raft for what felt like a life time, and without assistance we would surely die.

"Thank, Agni!" Iroh was elated that there was hope for our survival. "We need to flag them down somehow!"

As if the thought of getting off this raft motivated me, I managed to find my sea legs and stand up on the raft. Zuko and Iroh paid no mind, trying to figure out what they could use to get the distant ships attention. As they pondered over this, I began to manipulate the water below us. Creating a stream that pushed against the back of our driftwood, I sped our movement in the direction of the ship. The sudden speed of the raft caused Zuko and Iroh to stumble, but they shot me grateful expressions knowing I was the cause.

It only took ten minutes for us to catch up with the distant ship. From what I could tell, the ship was a merchant vessel that was most likely carrying supplies to different ports in the Earth Kingdom. The vessel was made out of steel like Fire Nation ships, and had no indication of what nation it came from. The crew of the ship had spotted us as we approached, and they were lined up along the ship railing staring down at us. A dinghy was approaching, which they had lowered down from the ship only a moment before. A man in brownish tinted clothing rowed toward us, and when he got close enough he came to a stop.

The man was actually a teen, maybe my age or a little older. He had shoulder length brown hair, that was partially up in a topknot. There was a brown headband around his cranium, which matched the tan shirt he wore. His pants were a dirty brown, and he wore sandals. His skin was sun-bleached from constant exposure out at sea, and he appeared well toned from labor.

"Are you three alright?" His pubescent voice threw me off, because it made me immediately think of Sokka. He had grabbed the side of our raft when he got to us, his sea-green eyes taking in our appearance with both curiosity and concern.

Iroh spoke with calm. "Actually, we could really use a lift. Our ship got caught in a storm while fishing, and we ended up getting thrown overboard. Our vessel capsized, but luckily the raft I kept for precaution survived. We've been out at sea for over a day now, and could really use something to eat."

The tale told was incredulous, but the young man seemed to look past the story. "Well come on and I'll row you to the ship. My father's captain, and I'm sure he'll have no problem with you staying with us until we reach port. We're making a cargo run to a Fire Nation colony. The trip will take a few days, but I'm sure we can keep you comfortable until then." His eyes shot to me. "I hope you don't mind, but you'll be the only female aboard. My father's a bit sexist… He doesn't think women should work on the ocean."

His confession didn't make me any less eager to get onboard the ship.

"I've met worse," I promised.

My memories took me back to Elder Muha, the old man that once lived at the edge of the village. He'd passed away only a month before Aang made his first appearance in our small tribe. The old grumpy man would scold me and Katara when he saw us carrying spears to go look for fish.

 _"_ _Hey! Where are you gals headed? Turn round and get back ta sowin'! Ladies jobs don't involve man's work!"_

 _Katara and I kept walking, our eyes trying to avoid the old man sitting on his usual log smoking a pipe. His crinkled eyes bore into us though as we headed out to meet Sokka at the boats._

 _"_ _That man's always so rude," Katara muttered. "He acts like he's chief! And he never has anything nice to say about the women of the village."_

 _"_ _Yeah… His wife did run off on him thirty years ago though to live in the Earth Kingdom... I guess his wife's actions have made every female a slimy seal-snake in his eyes."_

 _She nodded. "I just wish mom were still here… She'd always set Muha straight when he would scold us in the past."_

 _As a sorrowful expression pulled on my sisters features, I placed an arm around her to comfort her. We continued to walk, but we walked in a sister bond that could never be broken. "Mom was definitely a strong woman. She always proved Muha wrong." I laughed then. "I'll never forget that time Muha told you that waterbending is unacceptable for a young woman to practice. Mom walked over to where he'd been sitting since he woke for breakfast, smiled her amazing smile, and told him that sitting around all day was a woman's job. That shut the old geezer up."_

 _Katara giggled. "Yeah. I definitely remember that story. I also remember that the next morning Muha went out on a hunt with the men. I guess he had to win back his masculinity."_

"Well come on board," the young man said, breaking me out of my memories. "You three look like you could use some dry clothes and warm food." He held a hand out towards me, and I smiled with gratitude.

A moment later the three of us were seated in the small dinghy with the teenager who introduced himself as Kahru. When he asked for our names, Zuko and Iroh gave some fake ones taking on the identities of Shang and Chin. When he asked for my own, I said my real one without thinking that it would cause any suspicion. He was surprised though, asking what nation I was from. He could make out Zuko and Iroh were Fire Nation right off, but Crystal wasn't exactly a common name found in the world.

"Oh… I'm from the Earth Kingdom colonies…"

He was currently rowing us back toward the ship, our raft being left behind. "Hmm… Interesting… So are you all from the Earth Kingdom?"

Iroh quickly came up with more to our tale. "We're actually from the very port you and your crew are headed."

Kahru seemed suspicious of our tale, and I could tell he was even more suspicious of Zuko who had kept quiet through the whole conversation. Zuko sat beside me in the dinghy, his eyes staring at the floorboards of the boat.

A few minutes later we were on board. The crew greeted us with excitement, and quickly offered us some water for our parched lips. The three of us drink greedily, realizing it was our first drink in what felt like forever. They gave us some fruit too, saying we looked like we could use it. After we ate, and Iroh came up with an elaborate tell as to how we ended up three days from land, Kahru showed us to the room below deck where we would be staying.

There were two hammocks in the room, and two chests bolted to the floor. There was also a porthole that the sun shined through, and a lantern sat by the door. "Sorry it's not much. We had two crewmen sign off a few weeks ago, so this room has been vacant. I'll see if I can find a spare mat after I let my dad know you're all okay. I'll be back later to bring you to dinner. I'm sure dad would love to meet you all. We don't have a lot of guests on board."

He left us then to go attend to some duties. As soon as he left, we all let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Well isn't he a nice young man… See Zuko? I told you everything would work out in the end."

Zuko seemed troubled. "This was sheer luck, Uncle… If this ship hadn't come along we would've probably starved to death or died of thirst."

"Looks like the spirits are keeping us alive." Iroh walked over to the hammock. "That's very nice of them."

As Zuko and Iroh were conversing, I walked over to the window and stared outside. The waves were just a few feet below, and I could still see the raft as we gained distance from it. While the voices of my companions droned in the background, I placed my hand on the cold glass looking off towards the north where I knew my family were.

Still conflicted with my decision, I hung my head with my eyes shut tight.

 _Sokka… Katara… I love you… I'm sorry we're still separated… But… I couldn't let Zuko be prisoner… I care about him too much…_

 _Forgive me…_

 **Sokka POV**

The snores of Aang and Katara were my indicator that they had both fallen asleep. That was my cue. Slowly I crawled out of my sleeping mat, grabbed my fellow Boomerang _,_ and headed out of the warm ice building we'd been staying in. The day was still alive, and men and women were embracing all over the streets. Children danced and giggled with delight that their fathers and Aang had kept the tribe safe. As I headed to the palace, I let my hand tighten around my boomerang.

The prisoners had been interrogated. Right before we left, Master Pakku informed me privately that one of the prisoners had known my sister. When I asked him how, he told me to meet the prisoner myself so I could have all my questions answered. The prisoners were currently being held in the palace dungeons. They were being guarded heavily by Pakku's most trusted pupils. I wasn't sure what would come of the prisoners, and I honestly didn't care. All I desired at the moment was answers. This prisoner who knew my sister would tell me the truth.

There was no way my sister Crystal had fallen for Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation!

When I arrived back at the palace, Master Pakku was already there waiting for me. I'd told him I'd return after giving Katara and Aang the slip. He greeted me with a guarded expression, and led me through the interior of the icy palace. As we made our way down a few halls, descended a winding snowy staircase, and headed deep under the icy ground I noticed the light was starting to disappear. A warrior was waiting for us in the dark hall though, his hand holding a lantern. He guided us farther down the dark passage towards an arched doorway. The closer we got to the prisoners, the more my heart accelerated in both uncertainty and anticipation.

When we finally reached the dungeons, I was amazed to see the twenty war prisoners were each in their own individual cell of ice. The firebenders were chained tightly behind, while the non-benders sat on the cold ground helplessly.

I didn't waste a minute. "Which one?"

Master Pakku led me through the dark room down three cells. He stopped at the icy bars of the non-benders cage. "His name's Hul. He claims he worked under Zuko's crew right before joining Zhao's fleet. He'd been given task of keeping an eye on your sister during her imprisonment."

The Fire Nation prisoner stared over at me, but I could tell he wasn't thrilled with his situation. None of the men were. They looked scared, and I didn't blame them. My tribe hadn't taken prisoners for many years, so I wasn't sure what the proper after-war treatment was. I was certain Chief Arnook would not show sympathy towards these men though, especially after they tried to attack our people.

"You knew my sister?"

The man looked me up and down until his eyes bore into my own. "Hm… You must be Sokka…" His voice sounded tired but I could tell he was trying to sound tough. He paused for a moment to let his words hang in the air. "Crystal talked a lot about you. You definitely have her nose. I wouldn't pass you for twins though."

He spoke as if they were friends. The thought made me scowl. "I'm not here to chat! What do you know about my sister's imprisonment? How much did you all torture her? Did you brainwash her?"

My questions astounded the man. "Geez… Cool yourself boy. You act as if we're heartless monsters. Your sister would argue with your accusations." He continued to speak as if he wasn't a prisoner who could be executed at any moment. "Crystal was treated well on board. We all enjoyed her company during the long voyage. She was a young spirit that made all of us cheer up at times. You may think poorly of us, but none of us dared lay a hand on her. None of us honestly had the heart to do such a thing."

I scowled. "That's a lie! The day she was taken prisoner one of your buddies attacked her! I saw it with my own eyes!"

Hul frowned. "Yeah. Kahn felt terrible for what he did to the girl. He was given order to detain her though, so he didn't know what else to do."

I stepped forward, my hand only gripping my weapon tighter. "What else did you monsters do to her? How did you brainwash her?"

This time Hul laughed. "Brainwash? You have a big imagination kid. None of us are trained with that skill." He sighed then, leaning back on the wall of his icy prison. "Everything your sister has done up to this point has been her own will. Even saving my life was her own choice. She has a good heart. You should be proud of her."

His words stopped me from snapping at him again. Instead I fell quiet, the grip on my weapon weakening as I heard his opinion towards my sister.

"Why would she save you…? Why would she save any of your kind…?"

Hul looked at me with sincerity. "Because she saw good in each of us… You may not believe what I say, but we're not all heartless monsters. We were all just doing what we were told so we could make a life for our families. Crystal saw the humanity in all of us… That's why she saved me."

I took in what the enemy before me was stating. As his words sunk into my subconscious, I felt my blood go cold. My sister had truly lost her mind… She had truly become blind to the truth of the world. She thought the people of the Fire Nation had good in them?

I had to get my sister back. I had to knock sense back into her skull. She needed to be reminded of everything the Fire Nation was capable of. Turning away from Hul without another word, I walked away from him needing some time to think. Master Pakku stepped aside to let me through, and I heard him follow behind without saying a word. He knew I needed to sort out my thoughts.

As I headed up the stairs, I thought back to a few months ago when we were back at the South Pole. Katara had a nightmare about the Fire Nation coming to kill us, and Crystal had been the one to console. I was awake as I heard my twin sister say _, "Don't worry Katara… Those monsters won't hurt us. Sokka and I won't let them touch you. There's no way those monsters will hurt any of us."_

She had once seen them as monsters like the rest of us… So why had she changed her views all of the sudden? I couldn't help but remember her condition after we found her the fateful day mom died. She was barely alive… she was hanging on by the smallest shred of life… It took her weeks to recover, and even when she did she had the enemies mark on her clear as day. After being hurt so terribly by the Fire Nation, why would she conform her heart to save one from dying?

What was she thinking?

I stopped at the top of the stairs, my body shaking as I thought about everything that was occurring. My sister was out there with the Prince of the Fire Nation. I had to get her back. I had to remind her of who the true enemy was. She needed to come to her senses before Zuko hurt her beyond repair.

I would get my sister back… I wouldn't give up until I saved her from her own denial.

 **Crystal POV**

Sitting on the cot that Kahru had one of the crewmen bring into our small room, I listened to the snore of Iroh and the steady breaths of Zuko. The day had passed by pretty eventful. After we got some rest, we met Kahru's father up on deck. He was a strong and tall man, much more clean shaven than his crew. You could tell he wasn't on any particular side of the war, having no prejudice towards Iroh and Zuko when he picked them off as Fire Nation. He explained his reasoning to us, giving us a small background of his family when we ate dinner in his cabin later in the day. He told us that his grandma was Fire Nation, and his grandpa was Earth Nation. He explained his family stayed out of the war as much as they could, and when he got old enough he began selling merchandise to both sides of the war.

"I don't agree with the war, but I don't have the heart to choose a side. I'm both Fire and Earth Nation, and I accept that."

After he explained his story to us all, Zuko and Iroh seemed to relax for the first time since we stepped on the giant vessel. The dinner given to us was packed with meat and nutrients, which was something we all desperately needed. Iroh had some drinks with the captain afterward, while Zuko kept close to me as Kahru showed us around the ship. I wasn't oblivious to why Zuko was hovering so close: he didn't want the men of the crew to get any ideas.

When our tour was over, Kahru walked us back to our room. A crewman had already brought in the cot, and Iroh was asleep passed out in his swaying hammock. "Get some rest you two. You definitely need it." Kahru left us with those words, and when he was gone Zuko and I made our way to our stations.

My body couldn't get comfortable on the cot as the ship swayed on the ocean waves. The creak of the ship was deafening to my ears keeping me awake. I had felt exhausted, but for some reason I couldn't sleep. I knew why though… My mind was still racing with the knowledge that I was now a traitor.

As I sat curled up on my cot- my arms wrapped tightly around my legs hugging them to my chest and my forehead pressed against my knees- I couldn't help but imagine what my family were thinking at the very moment. How disappointed was Sokka? How much did Katara feel betrayed? How much pain had I inflicted on the both of the?

My mind was so loud with my thoughts, that I was surprised when the cot creaked beside me and warm familiar arms pulled me toward a familiar hold. I relaxed as Zuko pulled me into his comforting embrace, and rested my head against his chest. "You need to sleep," he whispered. "You're at your limits."

I nodded against his chest, not wanting him to leave me. His hold eased my worries and pain slightly, and my thoughts became distracted. "Don't leave me," I begged softly. I knew I meant more than just that moment. I meant for him to never leave me. I didn't want him to go back to the Fire Nation. I wanted him to stay with me, and be with me for the rest of his days.

He misinterpreted my meaning. "I'll stay with you until you go to sleep… Just please try."

I nodded, and then the both of us extended out on the cot. As we lied beside each other, I felt Zuko's arm only hug me tighter. My head still rested on his chest, and his other hand brushed through my tangled hair softly. My mind finally calmed, my tense body relaxed, and I drifted to sleep by the sound of his beating heart.


	19. Flowing River

**A/N: I'm so sorry for how long this chapter took! College has consumed all the free time I have, and has started to suck out my soul (not really, but I just had to over exaggerate a little). Here's the chapter though. If you see any grammatical errors please let me know so I can go back and fix them. I hope you enjoy this chapter though. I had fun writing it whenever I could write it. Let me know how you all liked it.**

 **Best,**

 **Faithy Waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

"Land ho!"

The cry from the crow's-nest forced my eyes to turn from the card game Iroh was playing with some crewmen, out towards the horizon. Sure enough, a sliver of something could be seen where the sky met the sea. Zuko sighed beside me, glad to see the land that we were approaching.

We'd been on the ship for a week (longer than we intended), and over that course of time Zuko and I kept a lot to ourselves. Iroh managed to blend in well with the other men, but Zuko and I felt like social outcasts.

A day after we arrived onboard, Kahru gave me a pair of boots he'd grown out of. They were still rather big for my feet, but they would suffice until we managed to find money for new shoes. Kahru had also showed me to his father's own personal washroom, which was a small cabin room with a tub and buckets of water. He told me to freshen up, saying I looked like I could use the scrub. I honestly wasn't sure if I should've been insulted, but he had already turned to leave when I scowled at his remark.

It did feel very nice to freshen up. I washed off the grime and dirt on my skin, and managed to rinse out my salt drenched hair. After thirty minutes of scrubbing at my funk, I felt like a human being again. When I reemerged dressed in some of Kahru's old clothing, everyone was surprised at the girl underneath the rats-nest of hair. Zuko started to keep closer to me after that, feeling extra protective from the new attention I was getting from the men of the crew.

"Thank goodness," I said softly. "We can finally get on some land."

Zuko stared off at the shape in the distance that was starting to take the form of land, and I could tell he was suddenly anxious. We were headed into the Earth Kingdom, and he had no crew to journey with this time. My hand found his, and I squeezed it comfortingly letting him know it would be alright. He smiled weakly at me, understanding my intentions.

"Whelp… Looks like you three will be shuffling off today. Hope the trip wasn't too bumpy."

Kahru's voice surprised both Zuko and I. Turning, we saw the seventeen-year-old with his arms crossed over his chest leaning against the pole to the crows-nest.

"No," I began. "The rides been great. We'll never be able to repay you or your father for your kindness." I bent down to bow slightly to the young man before me. This took both Kahru and Zuko off guard. Standing straight again, I blushed when I realized I'd done something none of them knew how to respond to. It was always custom back at the Water Tribe to bow to those who you felt great gratitude towards. Kahru, his father, and the crew had saved our lives and I _was_ eternally grateful.

Kahru seemed to be even more flustered. "Er… It was nothing. We would've done it for anyone. Last thing we wanted was the three of you starving to death." He scratched the back of his neck trying to avoid my gaze.

Zuko spoke for what felt like the first time in hours. "How long will it take for us to reach land?"

At the new voice, Kahru looked over at Zuko with surprise. The he smirked. "The mystery man finally speaks! I was beginning to think you were a mute." His playful eyes only heightened Zuko's irritation. "Shouldn't be more than three hours. We have to take it steady once we're in the shallows." He stepped over to us then, and I was amused to see Kahru was an inch taller than Zuko. "You'll be back home soon."

"That's all I want," Zuko said truthfully, his head bending down as the thought of home filled him with burden.

Kahru looked at my scar then, something he did frequently over the last few days. "Still not gonna tell me how you got your scar?"

Shaking my head, I answered, "Sorry. That story's personal."

He sighed heavily. "Then I guess it will continue to be a mystery." He shot his gaze between the two of us in even more curiosity. "It's interesting that you two have burns… Perhaps you two were destined to be."

Kahru had been able to gather that Zuko and I had more than a friendship between one another. He could see the way Zuko and I never really parted. He noted the way Zuko would pull me away from crewmen who were giving me more attention than either of us were comfortable with. He was aware that Zuko and I were sleeping on the same cot every night, falling asleep to one another's steady breaths.

Kahru wasn't a fool.

"Perhaps," Zuko replied. He took my hand then, saying, "Let's walk around. My legs are getting stiff from just standing." He began to tug me away from Kahru, who watched the two of us go with an avid gaze. Once we had some distance, Zuko muttered, "He's way too persistent."

I frowned. My hand tightened around Zuko's hold as he guided me away from the young man who had been breathing down our necks days for answers.

"I guess we're just exciting to him," I began. "He finds our situation curious."

Zuko scowled. "Way too curious for my comfort."

To Zuko's relief, the hours passed by pretty uneventful. As we approached the land, I could see the Fire Nation flag billowing in the breeze. The port was definitely a Fire Nation port, and I had a feeling it had once belonged to another nation a hundred years ago.

The ship weighed anchor, and the gangplank was dropped so that the crewmen could begin unloading the merchandise. As they started maneuvering what was to be sold off the ship, Zuko and I stayed out of the way waiting for Iroh to join us on deck.

"Shame you three couldn't stay longer," the captain suddenly said, herding Iroh towards us. "Would've loved to play some more tunes with you Shang."

Iroh stopped beside Zuko and I, turning to bow respectfully to the man. "Perhaps we can do so if we cross paths again in the future. Fate has a strange course to it."

The man nodded. "Yes indeed. Sounds like a plan." Kahru stepped over to us as well, stopping beside his father. They both weren't too different in height. The captain spoke on. "Was a pleasure meeting the three of you. Hope you all make it home alright. No more sailing out into storms now, ya here?"

"You speak wisely," Iroh said. "We wouldn't dream of placing ourselves in such a situation again."

This time I bowed politely to the captain. "Thank you for your kindness and generosity. We can never repay you enough."

The captain analyzed me for a moment, and when I stood straight again he smirked. "I finally figured it out."

I furrowed my brows at him puzzled. "Figured what out."

He looked me over with knowing. "I've been trying to guess where you originate from, and it has finally hit me. At first I was thinking Northern Water Tribe, but you don't have the same complexion and posture as them. The way you speak to your elders, and those piercing blue eyes are both clear indicators…" He pulled something out of his brown pants pocket and tossed it over to me. I caught it clumsily, and stared down at the trinket in my hand. My eyes widened when I saw what it was. "You're from the Southern Water Tribe."

The bracelet I held in my hand was delicately carved with the symbols of my people. The different figures indented in the ivory bend told the stories of my ancestral past. My Gran-Gran was the last of our family who practiced ivory carving. She got the ivory from the seal-mammoths that would wander on shore from time to time. Her ivory bracelets were always the talk of the village, and she loved to pass on her knowledge to the other women of the tribe.

"Found that in an abandoned Water Tribe Vessel a few months ago. The ship had been ransacked pretty well, but I managed to find a few treasures."

My eyes widened at his words. An abandoned ship?

He noticed my sudden change in expression. "So I was right. You're pretty far up north. How'd you come to travel with these men?"

Zuko and Iroh seemed a bit uneasy, not sure what I would say. They both didn't want word getting around about who they were, and they feared I'd tell the man everything.

Instead, I answered simply, "I just go where the water takes me." I stepped forward to hand the captain back the bracelet. He took it in his hands once more. "It's ivory… Made from the tusk of a sea-mammoth. The story on it is an old folklore of my tribe about a warrior and his bride." The captain analyzed the bracelet as I spoke. "As long as you have the bracelet on your possession, no harm shall come to you… At least that's the belief."

He nodded, taking in what I said. Kahru remained silent the whole time, bewildered by this knew knowledge. He knew I was Water Tribe. He didn't know I was from the south.

"Thank you," the captain said. "It's good to know there's more to it than ambiguous carvings." He then nodded to each of us. "Safe travels to the three of you."

"And to you as well," Iroh said with sincerity. He then nudged Zuko to head toward the ramp. As the two of them made their way, I went to follow. A warm hand stopped me though by grabbing my shoulder.

Kahru held my shoulder firmly, and I looked back at him with question. His father was already returning to captain business, beginning to walk over towards the pile of merchandise they were unloading. "You're a prisoner aren't you? You were taken from your home by the Fire Nation."

His perception astounded me. Jerking out of his grasp, I answered calmly and truthfully, "I'm here out of my own choice. You don't need to worry about me." Turning on my heel, I rushed to catch up to Zuko and Iroh. The eyes boring a hole in my back told me Kahru was still watching me, and that made me irritated.

What was his deal? Why was he so perceptive? Why was he so eager to know my story?

Walking behind Zuko and Iroh down the gangplank, my step faltered slightly as his questions rang through my head again.

 _"_ _You're a prisoner aren't you? You were taken from your home by the Fire Nation."_

Stopping on the gangplank, I looked back up at Kahru who was still watching me go from on deck. He met my gaze, and I felt my heart clench. It was that way at first… I was a prisoner… Now though… Now I wasn't sure…

Was I still a prisoner? Would Zuko ever let me leave if I tried to?

Would I ever want to leave him?

My mind raced with a million 'what ifs'. A hand grasping my shoulder gently brought me out of my reverie, and I turned to meet Iroh's concerned gaze.

"Crystal? Everything alright?"

Zuko had stopped walking as well, his eyes staring back at me with worry. I turned back to Iroh with surprise, and then smiled weakly. "Yeah… I'm fine." Taking a step forward, this time I didn't look back.

Once we stepped into the Fire Nation port, Iroh quickly led us through the streets knowing exactly where he was going. He admitted to us he'd been at the port before many years ago, right when he and his fleet were headed to Ba Sing Se. The men had a wonderful time at a spa not too far from the town, and he was confident that once he told the owner who he was we'd be cleaned up in no time.

As we headed through the town, my eyes scanned around me at all the Fire Nation men and women going about their business. A few Earth Kingdom citizens resided in the city, but it looked like their duties and dwellings were much less elaborate than the others. Clearly there was a line of inequality occurring in the town, and I knew it was because the Earth Kingdom people probably feared for their lives. Iroh explained to me about a month ago that Fire Nation colonies were towns taken over by the beginnings of the war. Anyone who remained in the town was imprisoned and forced to do heavy labor. Some of the benders would also be carted off to steel prisons in the middle of the ocean.

"It will be so nice to relax after such a trying journey," Iroh spoke calmly, weaving his way through the crowd. "Good bath, some sleep, and nice food will do us all some good!"

Zuko sighed heavily beside me as we continued to walk through the market. "We should only stay here for a day or two. I need to begin looking for a new crew as soon as possible. The Avatar will be coming to the Earth Kingdom soon to look for an earthbending teacher. His training at the North Pole will be complete."

Iroh slowed his excited pace, and then stopped in his step. Zuko and I came to an abrupt halt as well. "Prince Zuko… We need to talk about this plan. Even if you manage to attain a ship, and a crew, do you really want to continue chasing this boy across the world?" He turned to his nephew with wise but weary eyes. "We've been on this journey for three years, Nephew… Are you certain you want to continue?"

Zuko scowled. "Don't try to change my mind Uncle! I know what I want! I don't belong here! I don't belong among these peasants!"

My heart clenched at his words. I backed a step feeling slightly stung by the feelings he'd just conveyed. His eyes shot over to me, and quickly regret filled his expression. He knew what he said had hurt me, and I could immediately see he was sorry. I dropped my gaze from him though, knowing he meant every word.

Iroh sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Very well… We'll discuss this later. Let's focus now on getting the rest we need."

The three of us continued to make our way to the outer parts of the Fire Nation colony. As we went, I crossed my arms and hung my head wishing Zuko's words hadn't hurt me so much. He didn't want to be among peasants though… How could we be together, if he was so disgusted with the thought of being among peasants? No matter how much he loved me, I would always be the simple peasant from the Southern Water Tribe. If he felt such distaste towards the lower class, then how would he ever truly accept me?

When we finally left the town, we made our way to a stone bridge that crossed over a rushing river. The river dropped off only a few feet ahead into a huge waterfall. In the center of the river stood an enormous building with slanted roofs that was held above the water by giant pipes. The building was crafted with beautiful embroidered pillars, and the land on the other side of the river was covered by forest that seemed to stretch on for miles.

When we reached the center platform of the spa resort, women immediately stepped out of a large entrance with a floral sheet hanging over it. The women were also dressed in beautiful silk dresses, with hair pieces holding their black strands up in buns. Earth Kingdom women who appeared to be workers at the resort, were dressed in more plain brown dresses. The Fire Nation women appeared to be in charge of the resort, while the Earth Kingdom women were more of the foot servants.

"My goodness! General Iroh! It's been years," a woman exclaimed, walking calmly down the wooden steps to greet the three of us. The woman was probably Iroh's age, and looked to have kept her skin smooth with the herbs and methods of the spa which she owned. She was pretty for being in her fifties. She bowed to Iroh to show her respect, and then stood straight once more. She noticed our appearance then. "Great Agni! What happened to you all? You three look like you've suffered a hurricane!"

Iroh hung his head. "It has been a trying journey, Lady Hala. We've lost our crew and our ship. We've been floating adrift for days and could use some clean clothes and warm food. Also, we would find it of great joy if you had a place we could stay to rest."

The woman covered her mouth in horror, and then said quickly, "Of course, General Iroh! We would be honored to restore the three of you to health." She turned to the group of young women who had gathered behind her. "Ladies! See to it that each of these guests receive our greatest care!" She then turned to Iroh once more. "I will have our cooks prepare a fabulous meal tonight sir, and then will lead you later to the resort home in which you may stay."

Iroh bowed with gratitude. "Thank you, Lady Hala. You are too kind." He took her hand then and kissed it gently. Zuko rolled his eyes, while I watched with amazement. Lady Hala blushed, and smiled shyly.

Two young women approached Zuko then, saying, "This way sir. We will find you some attire and get you ready for a bath."

Zuko looked a bit perplexed about everything that was occurring. However, he let out a heavy sigh and looked over at me with tired eyes. His words from earlier flowed back to my memory, and I looked away from him with a twist in my gut.

 _I don't belong among these peasant!_

Shutting my eyes, I wanted to forget what he said.

"Crystal…" Zuko had turned toward me, and his fingers suddenly grabbed my chin forcing me to look up at him. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier… I'm just tired…"

His sincerity forced my hurt to fade ever so slightly. Nodding, I said softly, "It's okay… I think we all just need some rest to clear our minds…"

He nodded, and then pressed his forehead to my own. "Find me if you need me." He kissed my forehead softly, and then left me. As he walked away following the two women, I felt the warmth of his lips linger on my skin. The twist in my gut loosened.

"This way miss," another young woman suddenly said. This woman was probably in her mid-twenties, and was definitely Fire Nation. "We'll have you washed up and get those knots out of your hair." She turned to a younger woman behind her who stood as silent as the air. I knew by her clothes she was Earth Kingdom. "Go prepare the west wing bath. We'll be there shortly." The silent woman bowed in obedience and walked off to go fulfill her duty.

Iroh was already being herded to a building, and Zuko was out of sight. The woman gestured for me to follow her as she started to walk toward the building she'd originally come out of. "Come along dear."

A few minutes later I sat on my knees as the same woman named Meela ran a brush through my hair. We were in a small room with cushions on the floor and some mirror stands. Incense was being burned in all four corners sending a lavender smell across the air.

Meela brushed out the knots, ignoring my cringing and sharp intake of breath whenever she pulled too hard. She was a woman on a mission, and kept telling me I'd thank her when she was done. She seemed to work on my hair for a good twenty minutes, even using a knife to cut away some of the dead ends. Then she ordered me to strip and put a silk robe on. She left the room to go grab a towel, and once I had privacy I shed my old clothes, and had the robe covering me. Meela returned a moment later, and then quickly shoved me out of the room and down a long wooden hall. The hall overlooked the waterfall and the sea.

We eventually arrived in a room with a steaming pool of water. Potted plants decorated the room, and with the plants came a relaxing scent. The Earth Kingdom servant from earlier was at the pool, and stood straight as she waited for her next order.

"Alright... Let's get you in the water. You're going to need some deep scrubbing to get all this grime off."

I stared at the water a bit anxious. I hadn't had a full body bath before. Most of the time I would just scrub my body with a cloth to clean up. The South Pole was too cold to have actual baths, so we'd just have a pot of warmed water to wipe our skin with. On Zuko's ship, I'd do the same.

"Come on dear… Don't be shy," she said. "You'll feel great once you're in. I had one of our firebenders heat up the water to a wonderful temperature."

Not being given much of a choice, I obediently shed my robe. As soon as my skin was exposed, I heard a sharp intake of breath. The young woman by the pool covered her mouth realizing her mistake. However, her eyes stared at the burn that stretched from my eye to my collarbone. Her eyes then trailed down to my stomach where a nasty bruise was still healing from Zhao's kick.

"My goodness child! These burns are terrible on your back!" Meela grabbed my shoulders from behind, while I blushed beat red as both of these women examined me. Meela shot another order at the woman. "Go get some aloe leaves! This must be treated immediately!" The woman jumped out of her shock and ran to do as she was told.

Her words surprised me. I knew Zhao's attack from back at the North Pole had been rough, but I'd forgotten all about the pain. My feet had been so messed up after we got on the raft, that the last thing on my mind was my back.

The next hour consisted of hard scrubbing and being lathered with scented oils. When Meela had me cleaner than I'd been my whole life, she helped me out of the tub. Once I was dry (which I helped with by bending the water off of me), Meela and the other woman managed to spread the aloe extract on my back. The burns were barely noticeable to me, but they bothered the two women so I didn't argue.

Eventually they left me some clothes to put on, and I did so quickly. The dress I slipped onto my skin was soft and light, having a hazel tint to it. It was mid-sleeved and flowed just above my ankles. The women left me some soft shoes to put on as well. When I finished, the women returned a moment later and brought me back in the first room I'd been in.

As we headed over, I felt my hand grip the necklace that I hadn't taken off. I couldn't help but wonder what would happen to us after we got the rest we needed. Zuko would look for a crew, and Iroh would assist him. What about me? Was it really wise for me to continue to travel with Zuko and Iroh?

Of course I knew the answer… By now the Northern Water Tribe would've sent word to the South Pole about my treachery… I'd have no home to return to…

The women finished pampering me after they did my hair up in a high ponytail. Once they were done with their work, Meela guided me out of the room telling me that Iroh and Zuko were already in the dining quarters. She led me back outside, down the stone path, and into a building where warm inviting foods were calling out. When I stepped inside the room, I found Zuko and Iroh seated at a long table already chowing down on the steaming food.

 **Zuko POV**

It felt great to be clean again. I knew Uncle was happy about it as well. We both were out of our torn clothes and in some fine Earth Kingdom attire. Sitting at a long table, the women of the resort brought in numbers of plates with all types of food. They also poured us some wine which I couldn't wait for. I hadn't had wine since I'd left the palace so long ago. Of course, my mind wasn't entirely on the food or wine. My mind was on the Avatar.

I had to find a ship, a crew, and some resources once more. I needed to prepare for when the Avatar arrived in the Earth Kingdom. I would capture that brat! I wouldn't give up until he was my prisoner and we were back in the Fire Nation. I would have my honor back!

"I'm sure Crystal is having a grand time," Iroh said aloud as he bit down on another mango. His conversation suddenly brought me out of my thoughts. "She definitely needed some pampering after being Zhao's prisoner for weeks."

His words made me cringe. My thoughts left the Avatar and went back to Crystal. She had been in a rough state after the North Pole. I had no doubt she was in pain, even after she healed herself. Not to mention, her mood had been pretty grim since she'd become a traitor to her people. I wished there was some way I could cheer her up, but I didn't know how…

With a heavy sigh, I ate my food picturing her worn out face. The strong minded girl I'd come to know seemed to be left at the North Pole… Crystal was broken at the moment…

"Crystal? Is that you?"

Uncle's question forced me to look up as I went to take a bite of my fish. However, I felt the fork leave my hand as I stared at the girl in front of me.

Of course I knew it was Crystal immediately… Her azure eyes and the scar from her cheekbone to her collarbone were clear giveaways. However, everything else about her was different. Her hair was tied back by a ribbon, but the tail flowed down in gentle waves. Her clean skin looked smooth and soft, and there wasn't a trace of dirt. She bit her lip the way she did when she was embarrassed, and her arms were crossed over her chest. The chestnut dress she wore hugged her curves, shaping her hourglass figure perfectly. The crystal blue necklace I'd given her complimented her skin perfectly.

"Isn't she lovely," the older woman behind her said. "We made sure to clean her from head to toe."

At the woman's words, I saw Crystal's cheeks turn bright crimson. Her arms crossed tighter, and she looked at the wooden floor flustered.

"You look beautiful, Crystal," Uncle exclaimed. "Come and sit, dear! You must be starving."

She whispered a soft "Thank you, Iroh." Then she kept her gaze averted as she approached the table. She sat in front of Iroh and I, her hands placed in her lap. We were left alone then, the women leaving to attend their other duties.

Iroh resumed his feast, and I saw Crystal slowly reach for a roll on the plate in front of her. As she went to grab it though, she finally looked up toward me. I'm sure I looked like an idiot, gawking at how amazing she looked. Her cheeks only grew more crimson, and she pulled her hand back from the roll.

"It's just me, Zuko… There's nothing to get so shocked over," she muttered. Her eyes dropped once more completely bashful. "The women insisted I wear a dress… Not too happy about it, but I was afraid to argue." She grabbed a roll finally, and then bit into it. As she chewed it, I couldn't help but continue to stare at her. She looked so different…

She no longer looked like a prisoner I'd captured from the Southern Water Tribe… She looked like the daughter of a Chief… A princess…

Iroh chuckled. "Yes. Wouldn't want to argue when a woman is on a mission."

My hand itched to touch her skin. I wanted to run my hand over her soft hair. I wanted to kiss those trembling lips. All thoughts of the Avatar were pushed to the back of my mind as I stared like an idiot at the alluring beauty before me. The only thing keeping me from her was a table full of food.

"After we eat, Lady Hala said she'd take us to our resort home. She said we could stay as long as we like," Iroh said, trying to make conversation.

Neither Crystal or I responded, the both of us not having much to say.

Later that evening, Lady Hala led us away from the spa buildings towards the forest before us. As we followed, I stared at Crystal from the corner of my eyes. She had crossed her arms again, and was staring at the dirt below her feet. Uncle and Lady Hala chatted away in front of us as if we were in two different worlds. Eventually we arrived at the wooden cabin where we would be staying, and Hala left us wishing us a goodnight. Once she was gone, Uncle headed inside which left the two of us alone. Crystal went to follow Uncle's lead, but now that we were alone I took my chance.

"Crystal…"

My voice surprised her. She stopped walking and looked over at me with question. Her azure eyes shined from the golden sunset behind me. My voice caught in my throat, and I couldn't get out what I wanted to say.

"Zuko…? Are you o-"

Stepping forward, I cut her off as I slid my hand behind her head and pulled her toward me. She gasped at the sudden action, but before she could blink I pressed my lips to her own. Time stopped as I felt her soft skin, tasted her sweet breath, and sensed the warmth of her body against my own. My hand trailed up to her hair, as my other hand slid behind her back to pull her more to me. I found the ribbon, and pulled on it letting her long dark brown hair fall freely down her back. Our breaths intertwined as our kiss deepened. My fingers buried into her hair feeling the softness and warmth.

She was so gentle… She was so fragile… She was beautiful...

Her arms wrapped around my neck so she could get closer to me. We broke apart only for a second to breathe, and then we were one again. We stumbled slightly, caught up in the moment. However, we never broke our embrace. I wanted to stay with her forever. I wanted to be with her until the day I died. I grazed my teeth on her lips, and she shut her eyes completely. My heartrate accelerated, and I knew hers did as well. I never wanted the moment to end.

Crystal was the one thing that made me feel like a human being. She was one small element of happiness I could find in a world so full of pain. I hated the thought of losing the one girl I loved.

Breaking away from her lips finally, the both of us breathed heavily as air reentered our lungs. Our foreheads pressed against one another as we recovered from our slight moment of passion. She smiled with her eyes tightly closed, and I knew she was enjoying the moment. When she looked up at me finally, she asked, "What was that for?"

I leaned my head down towards her again. "I've been wanting to do that for hours." Her whole face turned beet red. My hand trailed up her back, and I felt her shiver. "You're so beautiful."

She was surprised by my compliment, and then I felt her hands press against my forearms. "Zuko… I… I don't think you're thinking straight." She tried to break from me, but I wasn't letting her go that easily. "I'm no different than I was." Her voice was shaking as she became too flustered for words.

I ignored her, my other hand finding its way behind her back. Pulling her to me, I pressed my nose into her hair smelling floral scents from whatever the women had poured on her. "You're wrong… You are different… You're not the same girl I picked up at the South Pole all those months ago…"

"What are you talking about?" She was too happy in my arms to pull away, but I could sense she was confused by my words.

Pulling slightly from her, I caressed her cheek making her breathing hitch. My thumb traced the top of her scar, and I had to resist the urge to kiss her again.

"You're not poor… you're not worthless… You're the strong and beautiful daughter of a Chief."

Her eyes widened at my words. She didn't know what to say.

 **Katara POV**

Staring at the stone in my hand, I traced my fingers over the carving of water swirls. The blue choker connected to it draped over my palm carelessly. I was sitting on Appa's saddle, my back leaning against the leather with confliction. I could remember the day Crystal had sacrificed the necklace over to me. Mother had died, and Gran-Gran had passed the necklace on to the eldest daughter. However, Crystal could see how torn I was over mother's death, and she wanted to cheer me up.

 _"_ _Katara… It's alright, sis."_

 _My nine-year-old sister sat in front of me on the furs in our igloo home. Her face was covered by a bandage, and so was her chest. She was having a slow healing process, and I knew she was still in a lot of pain. When father had found her in our home, lying unconscious beside our mom's body, he had thought her to be dead too. However, he heard her breathe and immediately jumped into action. He carried her out of the igloo, away from mom's body, and into Bato's own igloo home. Bato's wife and teenage daughter immediately sprang into action, doing all they could to revive her. While they did so, my father returned to the igloo to be with his wife._

 _Crystal had taken weeks to recover, and still she was in pain. Her consciousness had come back to her three days after the raid, but her mental state was still broken. She hadn't spoken about what occurred, even though the elders of the tribe tried to get it out of her. She said she didn't want to talk about it. Father tried to encourage her, but no one could persuade her. Whatever happened that fateful day was too horrifying for her to recount._

 _"_ _I know your sad," she spoke again. Her hand gently took my own, which was slightly smaller than hers. "But right now we all need to be strong… Gran-Gran and dad need us more than ever right now. We need to be brave."_

 _I shook my head, my heart aching terribly at the emptiness I felt within me. The absence of my mom was too much for my heart to handle. My mom had been my best friend, and she was my coach too. She helped me strengthen my waterbending day by day, and told me she was proud of the strong bender I was becoming. She was gone now, and with her death came a deep regret for being a waterbender. I'd overheard the elders of the tribe, and I knew why the monsters had come._

 _The Fire Nation had come for me… Mom knew this and sacrificed herself to save me…_

 _"_ _Mom's dead… She's dead because of me…"_

 _My sister squeezed her hand around my own. "No… Mom died because of_ them _, Katara. You weren't the one to take away her life… Those monsters killed her. She knew they would hurt you if you were discovered… She protected you."_

 _I let out a sniffle, and then scoot over to my sister's good side. Hugging her arm tightly, I pressed my face into her coat sleeve letting the fabric dry up my tears. "I miss her, Crys… I miss her so much!"_

 _My sister hugged me to her with one arm, and rubbed circles on my back. "I know sis… I miss her too." I felt a warm drop of water fall on my forehead, and knew my sister was crying too. We stayed that way for a few minutes, two sisters mourning over the loss of our mother. When we finally pulled away, it was so my sister could do the most selfless thing she'd ever done._

 _Taking something out of her coat pocket, she said with sincerity, "I know this is supposed to be passed down to me, but I think mom would've wanted you to have it. She was always so proud of you and your strength..." Her voice broke off at the last word._

 _I looked at her with question, and then looked down at her ungloved hand. She held mother's necklace, the blue choker contrasting sharply with her skin. Crystal was always the palest of the three of us, and father said it was because she spent too much time cooped up indoors daydreaming. Gran-Gran explained it was because she got her skin complexion from our grandpa who died before we were born._

 _"_ _No… I can't… It has to go to the oldest," I mumbled. "That's what Gran-Gran said…"_

 _Crystal shook her head. "I already spoke to Gran-Gran about this, Katara… It's okay… I want you to have it." She forced me to turn around, and then helped clasp the choker around my neck. As the necklace loosely settled onto my skin, I felt Crystal's hands tremble. She whispered, "It's better you take it anyway… You deserve it more…"_

 _I wanted to ask her what she meant, but by the time I turned my head she was already up and headed towards the entrance to our igloo home. "I need to go to Jala for my medicine… I'll be back in an hour."_

 _As she left, I saw her hang her head in agony. I knew she wasn't headed to Jala. My sister was breaking down, and she didn't want me to see._

With a heavy sigh, I returned the necklace to its rightful place immediately feeling mom's presence. As the necklace settled back against my skin, I shut my eyes feeling the cold breeze of the North Pole winds. It was much colder up north than it was down south. I hoped wherever Crystal was, she was warm.

"Hey…" Sokka's voice suddenly sounded from the back of the saddle, and I glanced over to see him approach. He stepped onto the saddle and walked over to me with understanding. We'd both been trying to distract our minds these last few days, but we were equally worried about our sister. "Thought I'd find you here… Aang said you didn't make it to training."

I nodded, hanging my head warily. I knew Master Pakku would scold me later, but I was too distracted to waterbend today.

"I'm worried about her," I admitted. "I can't concentrate…"

Sokka let out a heavy breath, and then sat in front of me leaning against the other side of the saddle. "Yeah… I'm worried about her too."

My hand instinctively fiddled with the charm of my necklace, an anxious habit I'd picked up over the years. "Do you think she's okay?"

"Yeah… I'm sure Zuko and his crazy uncle are taking care of her," Sokka muttered. "Those two are too stubborn to let this little setback stop their quest."

I nodded slowly, but I wasn't convinced. "What's going on in her head…? Could she really love Prince Zuko that much to betray us like that?"

My brother ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't want to believe it… but I suppose Crystal has foolishly fallen for her captor…" He looked up at me with narrowed eyes. "I'm going to get her back, Katara. I'm not going to let this crazy fantasy of hers break our family apart. Crys will come to her senses when I'm through with her."

I wanted to agree, but deep down I knew what Sokka wanted was wrong. "If she loves him though… Well if she truly cares about him she won't just leave him…"

Sokka crossed his arms, but I could tell my words conflicted him. "She'll see… All we have to do is remind her what's more important. She needs to be reminded who the enemy is."

He seemed so determined and confident he could sway our sister's feelings.

"I just wish I knew what was going through her head," I admitted. "I try to think of all the reasons why she would fall for such a monster, and I keep coming up blank."

Sokka scowled. "That's because there isn't a valid reason! She's his prisoner!"

I had to ask. "Do you think it's still that way, though? From what Zuko constantly says, it sounds like she's more to him than just some prize."

"Open your eyes Katara! If Prince Zuko had to come down to choosing Crystal over his stupid honor, who do you think he'd pick? His honor comes first before anything else! He's just playing Crys so she doesn't run away from him." Sokka stood. "She's being suckered into a situation she doesn't need to be in… I'm going to save her…"

He turned and walked away then. As he went, I shut my eyes feeling the cold breeze hit me again.

 _I'm going to save her…_

As much as I admired Sokka's confidence, the question still rang through my head: Did she really want to be saved?


	20. Fighting the Current

**A/N: Hey everyone. So this chapter is pretty long, but I couldn't figure out if I should break it in half or not. This does take place during Book 2, Episode 1... However, I added my own twist to the episode changing it up quite a bit. There are teen rating elements in this chapter too. I hope you all like it though. Also, I'm going to try to start giving Crystal more of a backstory to her life in the South Pole. I've become interested in the study of other cultures, and want to give the Southern Water Tribe more of a background and culture. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks for being so patient. Finals are around the corner, so I don't know when the next chapter will be up.**

 **Thanks**

 **~Faithy Waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Fighting the Current**

 **Crystal POV**

"Ah…"

Iroh sighed in content as the two women massaged his spine and other tense parts of his body. Zuko sat on the floor by the window with a ridiculous hat hanging over his face, sulking because he could find no one who desired to join his excursion. I was cross-legged on a cushion reading a book about a powerful firebender who saves a damsel from ravage earthbenders. Some of the words were hard to understand, but I got the gist of it.

"Isn't this nice… I feel like we're all due for some relaxation."

Zuko muttered, "We've been here for a week now Uncle… We're losing time to relax…"

The mood in which Zuko had been conveying today was extra sour. He wasn't mentally here it seemed as his mind traveled to thoughts he would not share. I noticed his distracted mind a few hours earlier at breakfast. He hadn't spoken much, and as we walked to the spa resort for food he absent-mindedly kicked at a pebble on the ground. At breakfast, he barely ate, just picking at his food with a frown etched on his features. When I asked him if he was okay, he simply replied that he was upset he hadn't found men to join his quest. I knew he was lying though. I had the ability to tell when people were lying, seeing as I'd been an expert at it since I discovered I could waterbend.

Zuko was lying to me straight through his teeth.

"I see. It's the anniversary, isn't it?"

At the question that sprung from Iroh, I looked up from my book in surprise. Confused, I asked softly, "Anniversary?"

Zuko drifted his eyes over to me, while Iroh left his massage and sat down in front of Zuko on the floor. Eventually, Zuko explained.

"Three years ago today I was banished. I lost it all..." The pain in his voice made my heart ache. I dropped my gaze from him closing my book in understanding. So that's why he wasn't his usual self today… Today was the anniversary of his exile and long quest for the Avatar. "I want it back. I want the Avatar, I want my honor, I want my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless."

This last part Zuko spoke more to Iroh now, and the older man rubbed the back of his neck not sure how to reassure his nephew. "I'm sure he doesn't! Why would he banish you if he didn't care?"

The words Iroh spoke were not the greatest help at this very moment. His words only made Zuko cringe, and the young prince stood from his place leaving the room to get some distance from his Uncle. Iroh realized what he said was wrong, and shook his head at his own stupidity. While Iroh rubbed his face in disbelief, I placed my book aside and followed the path Zuko had just taken.

Leaving the room, I crossed the stone walkway following behind Zuko as he headed across the bridge towards the forest. He kept his head down in pain as he remembered the past. I knew the story of Zuko's banishment. I knew how much pain the event had caused him both physically and emotionally. I knew as stubborn as Zuko was, I wanted to comfort him.

Zuko stopped walking once he was off the bridge, and I saw his shoulders drop as he let out a heavy sigh. "I'm fine, Crystal… I just have a lot on my mind." He started to walk again, but I quickly reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Zuko… Talk to me… I know your upset… It's okay to tell someone how you feel…"

Zuko turned his body so he was able to look back at me. "You don't need to hear my problems… There's no use concerning over me. I just need some time to think."

I held onto him for a moment longer. Then I sighed heavily. "Okay…" My hand left his arm. He turned away from me again, his head hanging in agony. "But I'm here for you if you decide you want to talk… You don't have to keep it bottled up inside you… I'll be back at the hut if you change your mind." I started to walk ahead of him, although every ounce of me wanted to stay. I knew he'd talk if he desired to though. "Come find me."

I didn't make it far. Only a moment after I spoke, and a few steps toward the forest, Zuko spoke again. "Wait…" His hand suddenly grabbed my own with a strong grip to keep me with him. "Don't leave…" I looked back at him in surprise. "Let's go talk somewhere private… I- I need some quiet."

I was surprised by Zuko's sudden change of mind. I suppose he realized he didn't want to be alone to his thoughts. We both made our way through the forest, in the direction towards the ocean that rested at the bottom of a long hill. When we eventually broke from the trees, and began to make our way down the dirt path, I noticed Zuko hadn't let go of my hand once. His tight grip was that of both pain and longing. He didn't want to be alone. He was afraid of being alone.

We found a nice spot to sit on a log that had washed ashore and dried out from the sun. As we sat staring out towards the horizon, I squeezed Zuko's hand tighter to reassure him. He turned his head to look over at me with comfort and gratitude. Then he looked down at the sand below his feet.

"I'm sorry… I'm not used to talking to others about my feelings… I was told to never let others see me cry…"

"I know. You told me before," I said softly.

He sighed heavily. "I guess I want to think my father still cares about me…" His eyes watered slightly. He shut them tight to try and hold in his pain. "That this whole banishment is a test of his, for me to prove I'm worthy of being Fire Lord one day… but… every time I look in the mirror all I can see is my father's anger and disappointment. I should've never spoken up in that meeting… I wish I had kept my mouth shut like Uncle had told me to…"

Staring out toward the waves, I thought over what he said. "Sometimes things happen… it's important not to let these things weigh you down so heavily though… You made a mistake. Now, it's up to you to move forward." My shoe traced a line in the sand. "When my mom died, my father weighed all the guilt on himself for the longest time. He had to move forward though, not just for the tribe but himself also. He knew he had done all he could, and that the only way to redeem mom's death was to fight and protect the tribe…"

Zuko nodded. As if my story was a good distraction for him, he asked, "Do you miss him? Do you miss your father?"

Glancing over at him, I saw he was conflicted with his own feelings toward his father. "I miss him… I love him… But I'm angry at him…" This took Zuko by surprise and he looked at me with question. "Just like you, I question myself on if my father still cares about me… about my family… He became so overcome by fury after the Fire Nation killed my mom. I think he lost sight of what was really important. He wanted to fight his problems through war, and abandoned my family and I in the process."

He seemed to take in what I said. "What's it like?"

His question took me off guard. "What?"

He let go of my hand and rubbed the back of his neck. "Being the daughter of a chief… Were there certain customs you had to follow? Rules you couldn't break?"

I shrugged. "Not anything out of the usual. My brother, sister, and I grew up quite similar to the rest of the children. We had chores, expectations on how to behave, and we all worked together to hunt for food. Of course we were expected to be role models for the other children, but that didn't happen all the time. Katara and I did have more roles we were expected to fulfill than Sokka, but each of us did what we could to balance out the labor. When dad did leave us, Sokka took more of a leadership over the tribe while Katara and I took care of the elderly, women, and children. I guess you could say we were the hope for the village if anything happened to father and the other warriors…"

"That's a lot of pressure to put on all three of your shoulders," he said softly.

I smiled weakly. "You're a prince… You should know pressure much more than me."

He frowned. "Would you have had an arranged marriage if all of this chaos wasn't happening?"

My eyes widened at his last question. My cheeks burned, and I looked down at the sand with a twist in my gut. "It's complicated… Our tribe is small, and we are few in number. Those who marry and start families do so not out of love, but out of necessity… Growing up, the women of our tribe are taught to be loyal wives and nurturing mothers. We're expected to keep the village alive… A lot of the time, girls marry at sixteen to the men whom their parents choose for them. We've only had four girls wedded to the young men of our tribe since my mother's death. There was a bit of an age gap between the other children of the tribe and me and my siblings. We're the oldest children… All the others are married off or at war."

Zuko took in all I said with contemplation. "So that means you'd have been next in line to marry?"

I grimaced. "Yeah… I guess so."

"And being the Chief's daughter, you probably would have guys lining up at the door to marry you…"

"No…" I hung my head, not wanting to hurt Zuko when he was already upset. However, I suppose telling him was better than not telling him. "Just one…"

Silence drifted between us, and I knew he was trying to fathom what I was saying. "One…? Crystal… Are you already-" He stopped, unable to think of what he was trying to ask.

"No. It's not like that… I'm not engaged… My tribe doesn't do "arranged" marriages... I'm just promised to someone," I muttered, admitting it finally. "My father promised me to a dude back in the village named Areto. I'm not going through with it though… I objected to my father in the past. He ignored me, but he'll one day learn to take me serious… He can't make me marry him…"

For the last few months I'd been with Zuko, I had been so focused on surviving. Not to mention I'd fallen in love and was happier than ever before. The last thing on my mind was the arrangement my father made with his good friend Bato. It had been before my mother's death, but the settlement was still strong. Bato's son and I were expected to marry in the future. When I turned thirteen my Gran-Gran told me about the arrangement that no one had mentioned, and I protested strongly with my father. I can remember the conversation like it was yesterday.

 _Storming into the Tribal Meeting Hut, I saw my father seated cross legged on some furs. He and the men had been on a five-month war excursion, and decided to come home for a few weeks to be with their families. They'd told stories over the last few days during dinner, relaying their heroic battles against the Fire Nation. The women were mesmerized by the tales their sons and husbands were relating to everyone. We'd lost only a few of our warriors, and those who mourned for their losses did not show up for the dinners._

 _Being the good children we were, Sokka, Katara, and I attended the dinners sitting beside our father. Chief Hakoda would always start the dinners with a toast, and then everyone would chow down on seal meat and foreign foods brought from the Earth Kingdom. When bellies were full, and stories were told, men would retire with their wives and children for the night and the village would fall quiet._

 _Back to my father though. Upon my arrival, he and the four other men in the room were smoking pipes and laughing about their adventures. They all bore battle scars from spears, but looked well and merry. However, my presence made the men fall quiet with surprise._

 _"_ _Crystal? Everything all right," my father asked, lowering his pipe from his mouth. He could see the discontent on my face._

 _"_ _How could you do this to me?!"_

 _My shout caused all of the men to gaze at me with bewilderment. They weren't used to seeing me in such a mood. Bato, his closest friend, stood and gestured for the other men to stand as well. "Come on everyone. Let's leave Chief Hakoda some privacy." The men filed past me out of the room, and only a second later my father and I were alone. Tears were pouring down my face and my blood boiled._

 _My voice came out with hurt. "Why didn't you tell me?"_

 _Dad looked at me with furrowed brows, not sure what I was referring to. "Tell you what?"_

 _I stomped my foot, and the hut around us shook slightly. Dad was surprised, but didn't question how it occurred. I hadn't told him I was a waterbender and didn't plan to. "About Areto!"_

 _Dad took in my words for a moment, and then sighed heavily knowing he had no choice but to talk to me. We hadn't spoken much since he got back. He blamed himself for mother's death and my almost death, so seeing my scar was sometimes too painful for him to look at for too long._

 _"_ _Have a seat," he said. I knew it wasn't a suggestion. I didn't move in defiance. I was too hurt and angry._

 _"_ _I'm not marrying Areto when I turn sixteen! You can't make me! I don't love him!"_

 _My father let me yell, and when I was finished his blue eyes stared deep into my soul. He pulled out the voice that was not to be trifled with. "Sit."_

 _Scowling, I sat on the fur pelts below me but crossed my arms bitterly. I never left eye contact with my dad though. "I'm not going to marry him! You can't make me!"_

 _"_ _Crystal," my father said in a firm tone. "In three years you will be of marrying age. Just like every other girl in this village before you, it is your responsibility to find a husband and continue our tribe. Your mother did. Your Gran-Gran did. So many other women before you found that the time came to move from childhood to womanhood. It's tradition."_

 _"_ _I'd rather be single if I can't marry for love!"_

 _He didn't waver in his resolve. "Your mother and I were the few lucky ones in this tribe who actually found love right away. For others, love takes time to build, but that's why relationships are important. Don't you notice how Areto hovers around our campsite… He's trying to build things slowly with you first, in the hopes that you will find affection toward him before you two marry."_

 _"_ _He doesn't talk to me!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Not to mention he's like five years older than me! By the time I'm sixteen he'll be a full grown man!"_

 _"_ _Good. He'll be able to take care of you!" My father was losing his patience. "It's not set in stone, Crystal. If for some magical reason you do fall in love with another young man in the tribe, we will discuss the matter with the tribal council. If not, you will become Areto's wife. Bato and I set this up when you were born, but made it official a year before your mother died. We have a signed agreement. If you find another suitor when the time comes, I will review if he's the proper match for you. Until then, you will show Areto respect and try to get to know him."_

 _I'd lost it. "Know him?! How am I supposed to get to know someone who's off playing damn soldier with you all!"_

 _My swearing astounded my father, and then his eyes turned hard. He stood and looked down at me. I tried to not shrink under his gaze, but I was intimidated. "You will watch that mouth of yours, young lady! Your Gran-Gran and mother didn't raise you to be uncivil."_

 _I jumped up from my seat on the fur pelt in distraught. "Are you even listening to me?! Areto and I are two totally different people! He's nothing more than a tribal brother to me! I feel like a kid next to him! I won't do it! You can rip up the contract!"_

 _He pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Crystal… You're not thinking about this the right way dear… As of all the young men in this tribe, Areto is the only one who is close to your age. Plus, he is someone who will benefit this family. He is a strong and brave warrior, full of passion and knowledge. He is the perfect suitor for you. Not to mention, Bato and his family are important to this tribe's stability. The Chief's daughter, and our elite warrior's son are two perfect matches."_

 _I was starting to feel fire shoot through my blood. "I. Will. Not. Marry. Him! You can't make me!" I twirled on my heel to leave._

 _"_ _Not even when it was his family who took care of you all those weeks after your injury." His words made me stop. "You owe Bato and his family your life… They restored you back to health, and Areto even gave you company during those hard times."_

 _Tears started to slide down my cheeks. I didn't know what else to say. With defeat, I stepped forward and left my father. As I went, the snow around me turned to ice._

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Zuko's question made me hang my head more. "My mind's been busy on other things… The last thing on my mind was a guy I haven't seen in like three years…"

Zuko slowly sat back down, his face plastered with shock. "I can't believe this…" He dropped his head into his hands. "I finally find a girl I like and she's promised to another."

"Zuko…" I took his hand in my own, and I forced him to look at me. "I don't care about Areto. I've never felt anything for him like I do for you." He seemed upset, but I could tell my words were beginning to reassure him. "I haven't seen him in over two years. I forget about him all the time, especially when I'm with you."

He took in what I said, and then let out a heavy breath. "You really don't… You don't care about him?"

I shook my head. "I've never loved anyone the way I love you."

My words seemed to reassure him. He then smiled and said softly, "Good. I'm glad to hear…" Then after a moment of collecting his thoughts, I heard him say, "I guess now that you've told me that, I should tell you I'm already engaged to a General's daughter."

His words surprised me, but when I saw him have a hard time containing a straight face I knew he was playing around. "You're an idiot," I said, giving him a shove.

He grabbed my hand and leaned his head toward me. "I should punish you for that insult."

I smiled and broke the distance between us.

Zuko and I ended up sitting at the beach for a little while longer. We changed the subject, the both of us wanting to forget about Areto as much as we could. I told Zuko about the many adventures my brother, sister, and I went on. In return, he told me about how he and his mom used to go feed the turtle ducks together. Most of Zuko's happy memories seemed to be with his mom.

"I wish I could've met her," I said softly. "She sounds like she was a remarkable woman."

Zuko frowned. "Yeah… She was." He looked at me then with understanding. "I guess we're similar in that way though."

I nodded. "Yeah… I guess so." Looking up at the passing clouds, I sighed heavily. "I wonder what my mom thinks about all of this? She always told me to follow my heart…"

"Do you wish things were different…? Do you wish I'd never come to the South Pole?"

His sudden question surprised me. Looking out at the waves lapping onto the shore, I answered softly, "No… I'm glad you came." My confession caused him to look relieved. "Even though we had a bumpy start, I've never been happier… I've never felt so free… I feel like I don't have to hide anything when I'm with you. I feel like I can just be myself, and I don't have to make anyone proud." I slid my foot into the sand making a line. "I miss my family and friends, but I don't miss the feeling of being alone… Everyone in the village sees me as a memory of the past… My scar makes them look at me with pain, especially because we lost so many warriors the day the Fire Nation came. I'm tired of people seeing me only for my scar…"

Zuko grimaced. "I guess that's another similarity we have."

His words made me look at his face. Honestly, I hardly noticed his scar when I looked at him. All I saw was a handsome young man with a good heart.

"It's interesting how fate works, huh? The Fire Nation Prince and the Southern Water Tribe Chief's daughter falling in love… It kind of feels like one of those stories your parents tell you before bed."

He seemed pleased with my statement. "Sounds like a good story."

Later on we decided we'd been sitting for too long. The two of us decided to walk along the beach, and while we did I collected seashells. I'd seen them in the market before, but actually finding some in their natural setting was pretty exciting. Somehow I got Zuko in the spirit too. He started to pick up his own, and I could see something I hadn't quite seen from him. I saw a quiet and content young man enjoying the moment of just being a teenager.

At the moment, he wasn't a prince, or a banished one at that. He was just Zuko.

He was Zuko.

After lunch passed later that day, which we ended up eating on our own back at the spa resort, we retired to our hut where Iroh was idling around. When he saw the shells I was carrying in my hands, he seemed thrilled and rushed over.

"Ah! Beautiful, Crystal! We'll definitely keep some of these!"

Zuko sighed heavily. "Uncle… We're not keeping these. We can't afford the extra weight."

Iroh ignored his nephew, taking the shells from me and placing them in a line on the wooden table. Zuko shook his head in disbelief and then took a seat against the wall. I could tell he was in a better mood than earlier this morning though.

Iroh and I spent a good twenty minutes trying to decide which shells we liked best. After I picked three of my favorites, and Iroh picked six he liked, we pushed the unwanted ones aside.

"Look at these magnificent shells! I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come."

Zuko tried to talk sense to his uncle. He spoke with his eyes shut, trying to sink into his own conscious probably. "We don't need anymore useless things. You forget we have to carry everything ourselves now."

I smiled over at him. "We'll just make you carry it."

He had his eyes shut, but I saw him open one eye and look over at me. He shut it again and relaxed against the wall. Then he gave a small smile. "And I'll just drop them on the ground."

I pouted. Iroh chuckled, glad to see his nephew's spirits were lifted.

"My, my… What a cheerful bunch," a female voice spoke from the doorway of our hut. All three of us jumped at the intruder, and I looked up at our guest with surprise. "Hello, brother. Uncle."

Zuko's sister stood before us in her elegant Fire Nation attire. I knew it was her, because Zuko had told me about her in the past… He said she was evil, and always found ways to get him in trouble when they were growing up. He told me she even smiled the day he was banished.

She was terrifying, and I could tell she had a dark heart.

Her hair was as black as Zuko's, but seemed to be longer than her shoulders. She kept it up in a topknot though, except for two bangs she let hang loose to frame her face. She looked like a feminine Fire Nation general, and her gold eyes were much darker than Zuko's. Her gaze shot around the room sharply, landed on me for a second, and then darted towards her brother. She had two guards stationed behind her, as if she needed protection. She had a shell in her hand, one of the ones we'd placed on the other table to discard.

Zuko shot up from his place on the floor, his eyes wide with shock. Iroh stepped in front of me, as if to protect me from his crazy niece. Iroh had told me Azula was a bit out of her mind. He said she was a wicked child with no remorse. He must've feared she'd try and hurt me.

"What are you doing here?"

Zuko's question only made her smirk. "In my country, we exchange a pleasant 'hello' before asking questions. Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?"

The condescending tone and petty nickname for Zuko made me immediately feel a disliking towards her.

He wasn't too happy either. "Don't call me that!"

Iroh tried to get to the point. I immediately heard his sarcasm though. "To what do we owe this _honor_?"

Her eyes shot to Iroh, though she didn't look pleased by his intervention. "Hmm... must be a family trait. Both of you so quick to get to the point." She suddenly shattered the shell in her hand with her sharp nails. I jumped and cringed at her uncaring nature. _"_ I've come with a message from home." She looked at Zuko with the fakest smile in the world. "Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of plans to overthrow him—treacherous plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust… Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home."

My eyes widened at what she said. So did Zuko's. He suddenly looked out of the window in confusion. It suddenly felt to me as if a wall of snow had dropped between us.

Azula seemed irritated he didn't respond right away. "Did you hear me? You should be happy. Excited. Grateful. I just gave you great news."

"I'm sure your brother just needs a moment to—"

She interrupted Iroh with such disrespect, I was too shocked for words. "Don't interrupt, Uncle!" She darted her eyes back to her befuddled brother. "I still haven't heard my thank you. I am not a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way."

Zuko finally spoke, and his voice was soft with amazement. "Father regrets? He... wants me back?"

Azula smirked. "Yes… And he's also heard about your water tribe prisoner. He'd love to meet her." Her eyes shot to me. "You did well brother, acquiring such a rare thing... I can see you need time to take this in. I'll come to call on you tomorrow. Make sure you're packed up, and don't forget the waterbender."

I narrowed my eyes at her. Zuko made no move to defend my honor, and I was actually hurt by that.

"Crystal will not be going to the Fire Nation," Iroh spoke firmly. "She saved Zuko's life, and therefore is no longer his prisoner."

Azula sneered at her uncle. "You don't have a say in that. Water Tribe peasants don't become free just by one good deed. I expect her on the ship tomorrow. If she isn't there, father will not be pleased." Azula shot her eyes toward me. "You'd do well to not try and run girl. Otherwise, when your caught your situation will not be pleasant."

Zuko finally spoke up. "If I go with you tomorrow, she will not be harmed."

Azula was surprised by his order. Her eyes stared into his own, and then she shot her gaze back to me. As if she understood, I saw her smirk. She quickly put back on a straight face though and shrugged. "Fine… I won't harm the wench. Just keep her on a leash until we get home."

I scowled. I couldn't help myself. "I'm not a wench!"

My voice made the room fall deadly silent. I knew I shouldn't have spoken in the presence of such a crazy chick, but I refused to be dishonored verbally. She stepped toward me to size me up. She was a year younger than me it looked like, and she was my height which irritated me. There was no way I was going to let her get all superior over me.

She sneered at me trying to sound intimidating. "How dare you speak to me that way! I am Princess Azula of the Fire Nation."

My hands balled into fists. "I know who you are… And I'm Chief Hakoda's daughter! I will not be insulted by being called a whore!"

She glared daggers. "You better get used to it, because that's what you'll be in the Fire Nation! All females of your kind end up that way!"

I tried not to let her get to me. "You're a bloody liar!"

She sneered. "Oh… Am I? The last female Water Tribe prisoner brought to the palace was handed over to an Admiral. I hear she didn't last four months. Turns out she found out she was pregnant and killed herself out of insanity."

My eyes widened. My blood drained. Iroh snapped at Azula for such disgraceful talk. Azula seemed pleased that her threats had finally gotten to me. I stepped back and felt my heart stop beating. I actually stopped breathing too.

"She won't be treated that way," Zuko suddenly said. "She's still my prisoner, Azula." He was trying to come to my aid, but he didn't help.

"For now… Once she's in the Fire Nation though, she's father's prisoner. You don't decide her fate." She dared her brother to argue with a burning gaze. "Don't worry though, Zuzu… I can convince father to let you have her. I can see you care about her a lot. She'd be great company for you."

I felt sick to my stomach…

Iroh glared daggers at his niece, snapping at her again to stop such talk.

She rolled her eyes. "Just telling her the truth. Anyway, I'll see you all tomorrow. Be at the docks at sunrise. I will be expecting _all_ of you." She turned sharply on her heel then, and exited the building. The two soldiers followed behind her in silence. Quiet filled the room.

 _What did she mean… Did she mean that I would be forced to… Would Zuko force me to… No… He'd protect me… But what if the Fire Lord…_

My body shook and I felt fear course through my veins. My vision began to blur. I could hear Zuko and Iroh saying something, but my heart pounded heavily in my ears blocking out their words.

 _What would they do to me at the Fire Nation? Would I really become some object for others pleasure?_

For the first time since I escaped Zhao, I felt as if I was once again a prisoner with no escape. Zuko would protect me though, right? He wouldn't let them hurt me, would he?

"Crystal!" Iroh's loud voice broke through my conscious, and I looked up at him through blurry eyes. As I stared into his concerned gaze, I began to realize I was on the ground on my knees. I didn't even remember dropping. Iroh grabbed both of my shoulders to try and calm me. "I know your scared, but Zuko and I won't let anything happen to you. Azula was just trying to scare you. I will protect you once we get to the Fire Nation."

He tried to reassure me, but his words did not stick. Shutting my eyes, I fell into Iroh's fatherly hold with fear. He hugged my shaking frame as I tried to block out the world around me. The fear I felt inside me at that moment, was the same exact fear I'd come to know when I was younger. The same fear I'd felt when the man came to kill my mom…

 **Third Person POV**

The room had fallen dark as the evening came and went. The broken shell was still in pieces on the ground. Zuko sat at the table with shells scattered across it, his eyes not daring to look over at the crumbled spirit. Iroh gently placed a light silk blanket over the silent figure who had paler skin than ever before. She was sick from the fear that had struck her from the threats of the Fire Nation Princess.

Once Iroh was sure she was warm, he stood from where he knelt beside her cot and walked back over to Zuko. "I don't know what's going on in your head, but I feel the need to talk some sense to you." He perched down in the other chair, and sat up tall. "You know what they'll do to her."

Zuko looked out of the dark window. He was conflicted, but also hopeful. "I'm not going to let anything happen to her."

Iroh shook his head. "You know that won't be your choice when it comes down to it… Crystal is a waterbender, Prince Zuko. You know what your father does to waterbenders… He'll have the poor thing broken in a week."

Zuko shut his eyes tight. "I'm not going to let that happen. I already have a plan."

"And do tell what that is?"

He glanced over at a shell on the table. His hand picked it up off the table, and he turned it with his fingers. "I'll tell my father I want her to be my servant. He'll grant me my request I'm sure."

"And then what," Iroh persisted. "You'll keep Crystal locked up in the palace for the rest of her days, forced to do mindless chores while you live off of luxury." The young prince grimaced. "You know she'll go mad being in such a situation… And you do realize you two won't be allowed to show affection towards one another… Your father would never approve of the feelings you have towards her."

His nephew shut his eyes, knowing what his uncle was saying. "When I become Fire Lord, I'll change that."

Iroh shook his head. "You have such high hopes for the future, but this clouds your rationality. You and Crystal are two worlds apart. She is the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, while you are the son of the Fire Lord. You two are supposed to be sworn enemies."

The young prince dropped his head in his hands. "Then what do you propose I do?"

Iroh glanced at his conflicted nephew, and then over at the sleeping form on the floor. "You must make a choice, Prince Zuko. What do you value more… your honor… or your heart?"

The room fell quiet then. The young prince didn't know what to say as he struggled within himself. He didn't know what the right path was.

 **Crystal POV**

I waited for Iroh and Zuko to fall asleep for the night. When I was certain I heard their soft breaths as they sunk into sleep, I carefully pushed the blanket Iroh had placed on me to the side. Sitting up, I looked over at the two figures in the dark room. Both of them were lying on their mats asleep. As they rested up for the long journey they would begin tomorrow, I quietly crawled off my mat and stood gracefully.

As Zuko and Iroh had their conversation last night, I heard every word. The pain in Zuko's voice as he tried to choose between something he'd been fighting for his whole life, and something he'd just found a few months ago, was convincing to me. He needed to go home, and I was just in his way.

I knew that leaving would possibly anger Azula, and I also worried that she would blame Zuko and Iroh for my disappearance. However, I knew it was time to think for myself. There was no way I would be forced into the Fire Nation. I couldn't imagine what being prisoner in such a place would do to me. From the rumors of my tribe, I'd always understood that those who were imprisoned and taken to the Fire Nation were either killed or tortured. From what Azula spoke, I could only imagine what being a young female prisoner would be like…

There was no way I was going to spend the rest of my life in pain, or as some sick man's object. As much as it killed me to leave Zuko, I had to for my own well-being. I refused to give up my freedom just so I could be with him. I loved him, but I also loved my own free will.

Slowly I crept around the two men in the room. The moon was up, so I was able to see where I was going as I inched my way towards the doorway. Stopping at the entrance, I felt salty streams run down my cheeks as my heart pounded in pain. Looking back at Zuko, I saw his figure in the light of the moon as he was taken by his dreams.

"I love you…" I sincerely whispered, my voice carrying through the air. "I just can't go with you..."

Then I turned and left, my eyes blurred as I made my silent escape. Every bit of me wanted to turn back and give Zuko one last kiss, but I knew time was of the essence. He'd stop me if he knew I was leaving. It would only become harder if he knew about my intentions…

As I headed through the dark forest, with not a single possession on me, I began to distract my guilty conscious by figuring out my next course.

I knew it would take me months, but I had to journey south. Even though I betrayed my family, I knew the Southern Water Tribe wouldn't abandon me. My Gran-Gran was an understanding woman, and the rest of the tribe would be mad at first but soon forgive me. I had to go home… I needed to get back to the place I belonged.

At that thought, my footsteps slowed.

Place I belong…

Do I still belong there…?

Looking up at the moon, I began to wonder what the tribe thought when they saw me waterbend that day so long ago. They were probably all shocked, and all hurt that I hadn't told anyone about my ability. Would they shun me for my secrecy? Would they ever trust me again?

The wind flew past me, and the trees shook sending shivers through my spine. At that moment, I felt alone. My steps stopped, and I looked down at the ground in agony. My fists clenched at my side as I shut my eyes to press out the pain and fear.

I'd never done anything on my own before. I didn't even know where to begin.

"I would say I'm surprised, but then I'd be lying… Having second thoughts?"

The voice that spoke sent shivers down my spine. A gasp escaped me as I looked up toward the intruder. Fear coursed through me as I saw she was not alone.

"Wha- how…"

"Did you really think I was stupid enough to let that old man and my foolish brother decide your fate?" Azula stepped toward me, and in the dark forest she was only more terrifying. She looked like the monster of the forest. "I can see that they've become too soft hearted. I knew you'd escape them through the night." She grinned. "I am one clever Princess, aren't I?"

I stepped back, my heart pounding in my ear. I'm caught! She knew I would try to escape!

Her soldiers spread out then, beginning to form a circle around me. I knew I had to think fast. The circle hadn't formed completely when I took my chance. Darting to the right, I took off fast towards the woods. I knew the only way for me to escape was to run. However, just as I ran towards a crowd of brush, hot fire suddenly spread in my path creating a blazing barrier. My whole body jerked to a halt before I could plummet into the burning hot flames that ate at the forest ground. They stretched high and danced in the night air. Backing away from the destructive force, I suddenly felt hard hands grab me and jerk me back.

I went to scream, but before I could a hand fell over my mouth. As my screams were muffled, I was forced to kick back at the soldier who was restraining me. Other soldiers raced over and quickly assisted the man. One girl against three grown men was an inevitable loss. As I was captured by Azula and her men, I was forced back over to the Princess who seemed like she'd just scored a prize.

She cackled at my actions. "Wow! That was actually entertaining." Her eyes shot to the fire that was still blazing nearby. "Someone put that out! We don't want unwanted attention." Two soldiers scrambled to obey her orders, racing off to find some water. The soldiers still restraining me, tightened their grip as I tried to pull from them. My mouth pulsed at the pressure being placed on it.

"Take her to the ship. The last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe will be a wonderful gift for my father. She'll be a bonus once Zuko and that foolish man are my prisoners." My eyes widened at her words.

What… Did she just say that Zuko and Iroh… Prisoners?

No! Azula wasn't here to take Iroh and Zuko back freely! She was here to capture them! Azula was here to trick Iroh and Zuko on her ship so she could imprison them! I had to warn them!

Opening my mouth, I bit down hard on the man's hand. He cried out and jerked away from me. As soon as he did I let out the loudest scream I could muster. As my scream echoed through the forest, I saw Azula's eyes widen with horror.

"Shut her up!"

While the soldier had been in pain, his grip on my arm had loosened. As soon as I had the chance, I ripped my hold from him and took off towards the direction where no fire blocked my path. I took off back towards Zuko and Iroh. My heart pounded a million miles a minute. Adrenaline shot through me. I had to get to them! I had to tell them they were in danger!

"Stop her!"

Fire shot at me, but I managed to avoid the attacks. As I ran, I saw to my relief some water glisten in the moonlight from a small creek. Picking up some of the water as I ran, I turned quickly and threw it at the men running towards me. Dropping it on the ground, I froze it into a solid sheet of ice. The boots of the men hit the surface, and five of them fell back or slipped with yelps. As they were distracted, I took off again towards the hut.

It seemed I ran forever. When the hut finally came into view, I knew I had to be quick. "Zuko! Iroh! Wake up! Run!"

As I shouted, I didn't see the slender figure suddenly dash towards me. Azula suddenly smashed into me hard, and her body colliding with my own sent us both crashing to the ground. Her body landed on top of mine, her hands pressing into my back as she pressed her weight on me. Her armor was the only reason she weighed more. Her nails dug into my back, drawing blood from the pressure.

"You'll pay for that you freak!"

I shrieked in both pain and anger. Then I tried to struggle out from under her. "Get off of me you psycho!"

Her knee pressed into my spine. "You're not escaping me! You all will be my prisoner! I'll have Zuko and uncle in a cell, and make them watch me tear you to shreds! You'll regret the day you tried to run from me."

I tried to smash my elbow back at her. I knocked her shoulder, and she growled shoving me harder. With fury, I shouted, "You're crazy! You need help!"

She growled. "Don't talk to me that way! I'm a Princess! You will respect me!"

I scowled. "How can I respect someone who's betraying her brother and uncle, and is treating me like an animal?!"

She suddenly dug her nails down deeper into me. She tore through my dress and dug into my skin. A harsh burning shot through me, and I screamed in pain. "You will not back talk me! Learn your place peasant!"

"Stop! Get off of me!"

"I love hearing you scream," she cried out with joy. "Soon Zuko will be forced to hear you scream too! I'm going to have so much fun torturing you in front of him!"

This was absolutely awful. Not only was I about to be forced back in a prison cell on a ship, but I was also about to be _this_ maniac's prisoner. Obviously the Fire Lord had caused his daughter to develop some serious mental problems over the years. I'd never met someone so power hungry and cruel.

"Get off of her!"

A voice I thought I'd never hear again suddenly shouted from nearby. Azula let out a sudden shriek, and then abruptly her body was off of me. As soon as her weight was removed, I scrambled to find my feet. My body was pulsing in pain, and my head hurt from the collision I'd just had with Zuko's psychotic sister. Everything was happening so fast.

"Zuko! Forget about her! Grab Crystal so we can run!"

My eyes shot towards Zuko, who was holding down his sister on the cold dirt. He had both of her hands above her head, and his face was inches from hers. He ignored his uncle as he spat at his sister, "You lied to me! You're here to make me your prisoner!"

She growled. She tried to kick him off, but he held her down with his knee. She spat, "Of course I lied! Why would father ever let you come back! You failed him! You've failed him too many times! You're nothing but a disgrace to the Fire Nation!"

Zuko looked ready to hurt his sister. Iroh was in the middle of firing at the soldiers who were trying to come to their princess's aid. Everything was in chaos. My head felt heavy as I tried to grasp the events around me.

"Zuko! Get out of here! Now!"

At Iroh's final order, Zuko jerked away from Azula and got up quickly to his feet. He darted toward me then, and grabbed my hand. As he did so, Azula let out a shriek and shot a bright blue light towards us. I gasped and shoved the both of us out of the way. The light I realized was lightning flew past us and crashed into a tree, setting it on fire. Fire shot all around us then, and I didn't have a clue what was happening. It felt like another world. It felt like a dream.

My body was suddenly lifted up from the ground, and the next thing I knew Zuko was running me away from the fire and shouts. He carried me as if I weighed nothing. My body shook against him, and I felt blood seep down my back from the cuts Azula had inflicted on me. Her nails were like daggers.

"NO! STOP THEM!"

His sister's loud call echoed through the forest. Zuko didn't slow. He ran harder, his breath quick as he tried to distance us from his psychotic sibling. He had his arm under the bend of my knees, and the other around my back. I hugged his neck and pressed my face into his chest too shocked to move.

"This way, Prince Zuko," his Uncle encouraged from out of nowhere. Everything was happening so fast. I couldn't get a grasp on my surroundings. My heart was pounding harshly in my ears. The next thing I knew, Zuko ran inside a cold cave. Iroh had followed behind. As we were in the dark, Zuko set me down and sat beside me. Iroh sat on my other side, and said, "Everyone quiet."

The three of us fell into a deadly silence. We heard shouts only a moment later from the soldiers who were looking for us. In fear and pain, I turned to Zuko and pressed my face into his side. He wrapped an arm around me in a manner of protection. The voices came, and then they went. As they faded, and then eventually came to nothing, the three of us sighed in relief.

We knew it was best not make a sound or leave the cave though. We knew the soldiers could come back. Instead we continued to sit in silence. We sat in silence for hours. Iroh drifted to sleep, and Zuko kept his eyes alert on the cave entrance. None of us had spoken a word since we'd entered the cave. My body still shook from the pain and fear coursing through me. The cuts on my back were beginning to scab over and itch.

When the sun began to rise a few hours later, Iroh woke up and told us we needed to head out. He had a feeling the soldiers would be searching again in the day time. We did as he said, following him out of the cave. "We'll head south. The farther we get from the ocean the better."

Zuko nodded, although his mind had kept him silent. I limped beside him and Iroh, my body tired and sore. Iroh had encouraged me as much as he could when we first left the cave. He knew I was in pain, but told me we needed to keep moving. Then he explained to me that he and Zuko had heard everything between Azula and I. They'd come as soon as they heard my scream.

"I knew my brother wasn't the type to do such a thing," Iroh muttered. We walked along a creek, and the sun was finally settling in the sky. "He'd never forgive so easily."

Zuko grimaced. "I can't believe this… I thought I was going home… I thought father really had changed his mind…"

Iroh placed a comforting hand on his nephew's heavy shoulder. "I'm sorry, Prince Zuko… I wish things were different."

He hung his head. "I guess he really will only accept me if I capture the Avatar…" Zuko stopped walking, and then he turned towards the creek. Suddenly he knelt down beside it, and I watched with amazement as he took a knife from his boot and grabbed his top-knot. With one single motion, he cut his hair to the bottom of the top-knot. His ponytail came right off, and then he looked down at his hair with agony. He dropped it into the water. Iroh knelt beside him and did the same thing.

As the two let their hair drift away from them, I understood. They were severing their ties with their family. They were outsiders now. They were both traitors to their people, and wanted by the Fire Nation.

Silence fell between the three of us again as the two continued to kneel by the creek. Zuko's hair was so short at that moment, but it made no difference. Iroh placed a comforting hand on his nephew's shoulder again, letting him know he wasn't alone.

Finally, Zuko let out a heavy sigh and stood back up. Then he slowly turned to me. I was immediately surprised when I saw the frustration on his face. "What were you doing outside in the first place?"

His accusing gaze, and the sudden conversation, made me cringe and look at the ground with guilt. I was tired, but I knew he deserved an explanation. "I didn't want to wake you… I had to go while I had the chance…"

My eyes stayed on the ground. I didn't dare meet his burning gaze.

Zuko had guessed my intentions before he began the conversation, so I knew he didn't really need answers. He wanted to hear what I had to say though. "You were going to leave me? Without even saying good-bye?"

"You would've stopped me," I answered softly. "I refused to be forced onto Azula's ship."

Zuko stepped toward me, and I felt him grab both of my shoulders with hurt and frustration. "So you were just going to leave me? Just like that?"

I looked up at him, my eyes blurring again with tears. "I didn't want you to have to choose… And I refused to be forced into the Fire Nation. I'm not some prize or rare specimen. I can't be caged!"

"I wouldn't have forced you! I would've let you go!"

His words weren't promising. "I'm sorry… But I didn't know what to do…"

Iroh spoke up, standing beside us suddenly. "She did what was best for her, Zuko… You know the Fire Nation is no place for a waterbender. She would've been tortured like every other waterbender brought to the palace." He tried to lighten the tense air. "And besides… We should be thanking Crystal. Her warning saved our lives. We would've been locked up for the rest of eternity."

He released my shoulders, his uncle's words easing his hurt ever so slightly. "Where were you planning on going though?"

I rubbed the back of my neck, but immediately regretted it when my body protested. "South… I decided you were going home, so I would go home too."

He was trying not to be mad at me anymore. His anger faded into curiosity. "And you were going to just travel there all by yourself…?"

Nodding, I hung my head wishing I knew what to say. I could sense Zuko was still hurt that I'd tried to leave without saying goodbye, but I hadn't had a choice. If I told Zuko I was going, he probably wouldn't have let me. As much as I wanted to believe Zuko did see me as a girl he deeply cared about, I was still technically his prisoner in the long run.

"Why don't we walk a bit longer," Iroh encouraged. "We shouldn't tarry here too long if Azula decides to start the search again."

He began to head away from us. Zuko and I stood a few inches apart. As Iroh walked along the side of the creek, I looked back at Zuko who was staring at the ground still hurt. "Please understand… I had to, Zuko… I don't belong in the Fire Nation… I don't want to be some servant to your father… Or some tool of pleasure…" He took in what I said. "I didn't want to leave you, but I could see how happy you were about going home… I didn't want anything holding you back."

He met my gaze finally, and I could see the hurt had faded. He looked puzzled by my last statement. "You don't hold me back…"

Shaking my head, I responded, "Be honest, Zuko… If you had to choose between me or your honor, which one would you have chosen in the end?"

He grimaced at my question, and I saw confliction.

"You've been fighting for your honor since your banishment, Zuko… I was just an obstacle in the way of what you really desire… I decided to make the decision for you…" Turning, I hung my head as I went to follow Iroh's path.

Zuko grabbed my arm to stop me. He tried to sound firm, but his voice wavered. "You don't know what I desire?"

Turning my gaze back to him, I asked softly, "Then what do you desire, Prince Zuko?"

His grip on me tightened, and I saw uncertainty in his face. He then slowly released my arm and turned towards the stream, staring at the direction in which his hair had floated away.

"I… I don't know…"

The pain in his voice was enough to make my heart ache. Reaching out, I placed my hand on his shoulder in a comforting way. Opening my mouth, I went to speak again, but was cut off.

"Come on you two! We have to make haste! There's no telling how persistent Azula will be at capturing us!"

Zuko and I both did as Iroh requested, and began to walk in the path he had taken to catch up to him. As we walked, I hung my head wishing I knew what to say to Zuko. Usually I had words of wisdom to give him when he was conflicted, but at the moment I was too tired and in pain to think.

"We'll rest soon," Zuko suddenly promised. He was changing the subject, probably to try and get his mind off of his uncertainty. "Uncle's right… We need to get away from Azula…"

Nodding, I crossed my arms and looked at the trees above with tears once again filling in my eyes. The last twelve hours had been exhausting and endless. The cold wind hit me like bitter knives. Hugging myself more, I began to miss the warmth of my brother. I missed the love of my sister. I missed my home, and the tribe. We were wandering through the Earth Kingdom, a land I barely knew.

Just like Zuko, I wanted to go home. I didn't like being in a strange land. As much as I had first enjoyed seeing new things, I missed familiarity.

We walked for a few minutes, all three of us keeping silent. Birds sang around us, but they weren't a remedy to my melancholy.

Zuko suddenly let out a hard sigh. "Crystal… I'm sorry for getting frustrated earlier… Everything just happened so fast… I- I was just upset… Please don't cry…"

His plea surprised me. My hand reached up to my cheek where I felt the warm liquid from my tears. Quickly I tried to wipe the tears from my eyes, but they just kept coming. I hadn't even realized I was crying. The exhaustion was starting to get to me I guess.

"I-I'm not crying over that… I- I don't know why," I muttered, wiping my eyes some more. "They just won't stop…"

A warm arm draped over my shoulders, and I was pulled into Zuko's side as we walked. Pressing my face into his shirt, I let the fabric absorb my tears. He didn't have to say anything as we walked through the forest. His touch was enough for me to understand. He would protect me. He wouldn't let anything hurt me.

That little bit of comfort eased my pain ever so slightly…


	21. The Wilderness

**Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! I know this chapter is way past overdue. I kept getting stumped and didn't know how I wanted it to end. Thank you all for your patience and understanding. I'll try and get the next chapter up as fast as I can.**

 **Best wishes!**

 **-Faithy Waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 21: The Wilderness**

Sitting by the fire, I stared into the cave where Zuko and Iroh were still sleeping away. They were exhausted from the previous day, and I decided it was best to let them sleep. The cave we found was much smaller than our first, so we were forced to pack together inside over the night. In the morning, when the sun rose, I was uncomfortable and managed to ease my way out of the rocky shelter.

The morning consisted of me gathering wood, catching fish from a stream about a mile from the campsite, and returning to cook the fish over a fire. The fire took me a little effort, especially since I was used to already having fire starter stones back in the South Pole. I had to find some new dry stones that would create the proper friction to ignite the wood. When fire finally began to eat at the logs though, I smiled with delight. Sokka would be proud of my wilderness skills.

The fish was cooking well. I'd managed to catch three, and stabbed them through with a stick to hold them over the fire. They were beginning to turn a crisp tint by the time Iroh awoke from his long sleep. When he emerged from the cave, he was puzzled to see me turning the three fish over the fire.

"Crystal… You set all of this up?"

I looked over at his sleepy face with a weak smile. "Yeah… I thought we all could use some breakfast after such a long day yesterday." Pulling the fish back, I placed them on the sheet of bark I had yanked off of a tree earlier. The fish steamed and looked done. I'd already taken the skin off the fish and threw it in the fire before I'd begun cooking, so the food was ready to be consumed.

"They're done… I know it's not Jiho's cooking, but hopefully it will fill you-"

He interrupted me. "It's fine, Crystal." He picked up a fish from off the bark and sat on the ground beside me. "Thank you for looking out for us."

I shrugged, reaching for my own fish. The meat was hot, but not burning to the touch. "I'm used to stuff like this. I mean, usually I have pots to use for cooking, but I know how to use a stick and a fire pretty well." I took a bite of my fish, glad it didn't taste too horrible. It was bland without seasoning, but it was edible. "I wish there was more I could do though…"

"You've done plenty already." He looked over at me with compassion. "Why don't you go wash up after you finish eating… I saw a waterfall over the hill yesterday."

Nodding, I decided not to argue with him. A nice wash up would be kind of great. When I finished eating my fish, I told Iroh I'd be back as soon as I was freshened up. Leaving the campsite, I made my way through the forest towards the direction Iroh had pointed out to me. As I walked, I looked down at my dress with a grimace. There was dirt, mud, and grass stains plastered all over my outfit. My rough housing with Azula the other night also caused a few tears in the fabric. My skin also had cuts and bruises from the violent collision with Zuko's crazy sister.

When I finally arrived at the waterfall Iroh spoke of, I saw the area had formed a good sized pool. Water fell from the top of a massive rock, and the water collecting in the pool streamed off into smaller creaks. Rocks jutted out of the water, and swangeese waded out in the shaded areas. Taking off my shoes, I lightly placed my foot in the water testing the temperature. There was a chill, but I knew once I got in my body would adjust.

Taking off my dress, I immediately grimaced at the pain shooting through my muscles and back. Every part of me felt bruised, and I knew what the best remedy would be. In my white chest wrapping and shorts, I carefully waded out into the pool making sure I kept footing on the rocks beneath me. Once the water was at my shoulders, I shut my eyes concentrating on the cool element around me. The liquid danced against my skin and soaked inside as I allowed the particles to heal my cuts and bruises. The water turned warm as it sunk deeper into my muscles loosening the tightness and giving my aches relief. Opening my eyes, I saw a blue glow was around my lower body as the element eased the damage that Azula had inflicted on me. When the last of my pain faded, I sighed with relief and the glow dimmed away until it was no more.

 _I wonder what Katara would think if she saw my healing abilities…_

At the thought, I crouched lower in the water letting the liquid go up to my neck. My hair floated around me as I thought back to the day Katara learned she was a waterbender.

 _"_ _Sokka!" I whined, jumping up and down as I tried to grab the shell bracelet from his hand. My six-year-old form was no match for his six-year-old form. He was taller than me, even though we were twins. "Give it to me!"_

 _He giggled, saying, "You have to try harder than that Crys!" He stood more on his tiptoes trying to avoid my reach. Our five-year-old sister Katara cried behind me, upset that we were fighting again._

 _"_ _Sokka! I'm going to tell mom!" Katara jumped up and down and her cries only increased. "You're such a bully!"_

 _Sokka jerked the bracelet behind his back then, saying, "Such a tattle-tale!"_

 _Katara stomped her foot. "No I'm not."_

 _I ran around Sokka to try and grab the bracelet, but he jerked around causing me to miss his hand. He turned back to Katara. "Yes you are! You always go running to mommy!" He stepped back then, dangling the bracelet playfully and saying, "You want the bracelet back, then you come and get it. Stop sending Crys and be a big girl."_

 _I pouted. "Sokka! You're not being nice!"_

 _Katara cried more. "Give it to me, Sokka! Daddy gave it to me, not you!"_

 _Sokka took another step back. "Nah nah ne nah nah," he mocked. "Come and get it!"_

 _Katara lost her temper then. She screamed and stomped her foot on the ground. Ice shot from her boot towards Sokka, and he shrieked as suddenly the snow around his feet hardened. He was immediately trapped in place by ice, and cried, "What happened?!"_

 _Katara stopped crying, her eyes wide with amazement. I looked at the ice path that trailed from her foot to Sokka's feet. Katara beamed with delight at her new abilities. "I'm a waterbender! I'm a waterbender!" She jumped up and down with excitement, while both Sokka and I looked at her in bewilderment. She raced over to Sokka, grabbing the bracelet from his stunned posture._

 _"_ _That's mine," she said with a smile. Then she giggled and raced back to our family hut to tell mom and Gran-Gran. As she went, both Sokka and I watched her go with our jaws dropped._

I smiled at the memory, shutting my eyes and wishing I could relive it again. Those times were always so fun and wild. My siblings and I would fight all the time, but at the end of the day we loved each other.

Love… I loved them so much… Did they still love me, their traitor of a sister?

Were my brother and sister still at the North Pole? Were they traveling with the Avatar again? I hated not knowing where they were or how they were… Did they feel the same about me?

The thought made me frown. I looked down at the water and stared at my reflection as it rippled from the moving water. They probably hated me… I betrayed them…

The sound of a twig snapping caused me to come out of my reverie quickly. Turning around, I gasped at the intruder who was standing at the edge of the pond. He held up his hands quickly in defense, and I realized then I'd taken up some water to fling it at him. When I realized my intruder was just Zuko, I felt my pounding heart calm.

Dropping the water back in the pool, I exclaimed, "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

He stared at me with surprise, and then his face went red. "I- I didn't mean to scare you. Uncle said you'd wandered off this way. I thought I'd come and check on you… I… I didn't know you were…" His voice faded as he looked at my figure which was standing in waist deep water. My hair clung to my bare shoulders dripping wet, and I realized then just how much skin I was showing. I gasped and immediately backed back up into the deeper water to hide my body.

Iroh told him to come this way? Did the old man set us up or something?

Zuko ran a hand through his hair, flustered, "You shouldn't be exposing yourself like that… Anyone could walk by!"

I blushed and backed up some more. "I wasn't exposing myself intentionally. I didn't know you would show up. I thought you were still asleep!"

He stepped closer to the water, but I could see he was trying to look anywhere but at me. "You're going to catch a cold."

Rolling my eyes, I crossed my arms in front of me. "If I didn't catch a cold back at the North Pole when I was walking around without shoes, I don't think a little pond is going to make me sick. You have nothing to worry about."

"Will you please come out and put your clothes back on."

His comment made me blush harder. "It's not like I'm naked! You walked around half dressed back on the ship all the time!"

"That's different!"

"How is that different?"

"I'm a guy! It's perfectly normal to walk around without a shirt!"

"And I'm a girl who is still covering what needs to be covered. I see no difference!"

"There is a difference!" He ran a hand over his face. "Please don't make me spell it out to you."

"You're being ridiculous, Zuko. It's not like I have that much I need to hide anyway!"

My words only made Zuko look at me with surprise. He went to say something but his words didn't escape him in enough time. My foot suddenly hit a spot in the pond where the floor dropped off, and I shrieked as I lost my footing and fell back. My whole body went underwater then, and I realized I'd hit an area of the pool that was much deeper than the other parts. Being surrounded by water I quickly tried to get a hold of myself, and then flailed my arms drastically to try and get back to the surface. I didn't have to for long. A splash sounded from somewhere beside me, and I felt a warm arm wrap around my bare waist. Then I was jerked up back to the air above. When Zuko and I resurfaced, I coughed out the water I'd swallowed and quickly grasped for the nearest rock beside me. Then I hoisted my body up onto the flat stone that was surrounded by water. Zuko helped me get up on the rock, and then grabbed onto the moist surface as well hoisting his own body out of the pool. He breathed heavily beside me as he tried to calm his own racing heart.

When he finally caught his breath, he said, "You really need to learn how to swim."

I was on my knees, while he was seated up with his legs dangling over the side of the rock. He'd taken off his shoes before he jumped in. His shirt and pants were dripping wet. My hair clung to my body again, and I shivered as the cold breeze hit my wet skin.

"Yeah…" I finally said through a shaky breath. "I think I do…" Looking at the water below, I saw the bottom but it was probably eight or nine feet under. Dropping down on the rock in exhaustion, I rolled over and stared up at the clouds through the canopy of the trees above. Zuko and I continued to calm our racing hearts. "Thanks for saving the damsel in distress again… Bodies of water aren't this waterbenders friend."

He sighed heavily, looking down at the water below. "I would say I'm a prince and it's my job to save the drowning girl, but… I guess now I'm not really a prince."

I turned my head to look up at him from where I lied on the rock. "You are… You're just a prince without a home right now…"

He looked down at me with confliction. "What's a prince without a kingdom?"

I smiled weakly. "A handsome prince with a good heart."

He blushed at my compliment. Then his eyes shot down to my abdomen where the scar I easily kept hidden was exposed. My other scar that was always vivid on my face was also exposed to its full presence, trailing from my collarbone up towards my cheekbone. Self-consciously, I sat up and put my back to him. He shifted his body so he was closer to me. I could almost feel the heat from his body even though we weren't touching.

"That looks like it was painful… How did you get your scar?"

His question made my heart ache. Tracing my finger over the discolored area of skin on my abdomen, I grimaced at the painful memory. Looking out towards the deep forest before my eyes, I answered softly, "Same way you got yours…" My eyes shot over to him. "A firebender."

He let out a heavy breath. "That's not what I meant…"

Hanging my head, I placed my whole hand on the scar that was big enough to be the size of a man's hand. "I don't like to talk about it, Zuko… It's too painful to remember."

A warm body suddenly scoot behind me, and I was surprised when Zuko suddenly wrapped his arms around my waist. He pulled me to him, and my exposed body immediately burned against his soaking wet clothing. He placed his cheek beside my own, and I instantly sunk back against him. My head fell back on his chest, and I shut my eyes enjoying the heat from his touch.

"Please… I really want to know…"

Shaking my head, I shut my eyes with despair. "Not today…"

He sighed heavily. "Was it really that painful…?" I gave a nod, and I knew he saw. "I hate the thought of anyone hurting you." His hand tightened into a fist as he continued to hug me. "When Azula was attacking you the other day, I lost it…" He hugged me closer. I felt so safe in his hold. "You were right to try and leave… The Fire Nation isn't safe for you…" He was finally coming to understand what his Uncle had been trying to tell him for weeks. "I realized that after what Azula did to you."

"I didn't want to leave you…" I admitted. "But I was scared… I feared the worst would happen if your father really did get a hold of me."

His hold on me loosened, and I felt him hang his head beside me. "I'm starting to fear that too…"

A few hours later, Iroh had put out the fire and we were making our ways south again. I was wearing my tattered dress once more, but I felt better having been able to rinse off some. Zuko told Uncle that I wasn't allowed to go into bodies of water alone anymore, since I almost drowned a second time. I told him it was his fault, which earned a chuckle from Iroh.

After a long day of travel through the Earth Kingdom, we decided when the sun began to lower in the sky to find a place to camp once again. We found another cave, this one much larger than the one we found the night before. Iroh told us he'd start a fire while Zuko and I went to catch some food. Zuko whined that he had no clue how to find food. Iroh gestured over to me telling him to learn from the expert. Zuko seemed like he wanted to argue, but he decided against it. I helped Zuko carve a spear with the dagger he kept in his boot, and then carved one for myself. Zuko watched with mesmerized eyes, amazed by my crafting skills. I'd learned how to carve spears at a young age, even from the bones of mammals.

Eventually Zuko and I set out to head to the stream a little way from us. Iroh was on his knees on the ground as we walked by. Zuko noticed and stopped, causing me to bump into him.

"Uncle… What are you doing?"

Iroh looked up at his nephew's puzzled expression, and then gestured to a plant in front of him. "You're looking at the rare white dragon bush." The plant he gestured towards did not look promising or safe. Iroh continued, "Its leaves make a tea so delicious it's heartbreaking! That, or it's the white jade bush, which is poisonous."

My eyes widened. "We probably shouldn't test that then, Iroh…"

Zuko agreed. "We need food, not tea! I'm going fishing." He grabbed my arm to tug me away from his uncle. "Don't touch that plant!"

As we headed down hill, I shot my eyes back at Iroh's distancing form. "Do you think he'll-"

"I sure hope not," Zuko muttered. "Last thing I need is my uncle dying from a poisonous plant."

We eventually arrived at the stream, which shimmered from the lowering sun. The water was clear so you could see the bright red salmon swimming under the streaming current.

"This one's mine," Zuko stated as he stared at a red fish wading below. He clutched his spear tightly, and I watched him with curiosity. Then he slammed the stick down in the water above the fish missing the creature completely. It was the first time he'd ever tried to catch his own food, and I knew it was wrong to laugh. However, the giggle escaped me.

He blushed and jerked his spear back, shooting me a look of embarrassment. "I almost had it!"

I smiled, stopping my laugh. "Sure you did, Zuko... Sorry…"

He turned away with a huff and went to try again. He slammed his stick down and once again it hit a spot beside the fish. He growled in frustration. He tried a third time, but once again the spear hit water. His fists tightened around the spear as his temper started to rise.

"Zuko… You may want to stop aiming directly at the fish, and move a little more over."

He was surprised by my words, and then looked at me puzzled. His temper faded and his fist relaxed. "What are you talking about?"

"The fish can feel the water current around it, so when it senses a change in the water its instincts kick in. You need to aim at where the fish is going to go, and not where it is."

He pulled his spear back and crossed his arms stubbornly. "Alright miss know-it-all… Let's see if you can do any better."

Rolling my eyes, I turned to the stream staring down at the school of fish below. "You do realize I've done this my whole life, right?"

He smirked. "Prove it to me then." He stepped back. "Let's see what a chief's daughter can do."

Rolling my eyes, I picked up my sharp stick. "Fine… If I catch one you have to teach me how to swim."

He was surprised by my words. Then he smiled. "And if you don't… Then you have to tell me about your scars."

I was surprised. Then I grimaced realizing he had me stumped. He knew how much I didn't want to speak about the scars, and I knew how desperate he was to know the story behind them.

"Deal," I said softly. Then turning, I stared down at the water in deep concentration. However, it felt as if my heart was pounding hard in my chest. I'd never told anyone about that day. Not my dad, or my brother, or even my sister. Raising the spear higher, I tried to calm down and looked down at the fish I desired to aim for. Zuko fell silent behind me as he waited to see who would win the challenge.

With a harsh lunge, I slammed the spear into the stream. The spear hit above the fish and sliced through the creature. I smiled with both relief and satisfaction. I wasn't ready to tell that story quite yet. When I lifted the spear from the water, a large fish wiggled on the end. Turning to Zuko, I saw him staring at the end of the spear with disbelief. Then he crossed his arms with a frown. "I guess you are an expert."

I gestured to the water. "Want to give it another try?"

He shook his head. "No… I think I've embarrassed myself enough." He handed his spear over to me. "I'll leave the fishing up to you from now on."

After I managed to catch two more fish, Zuko and I made our way back towards camp. Zuko asked if I'd teach him my skills one day, and I told him only if he managed to teach me how to swim like he promised. We sealed the deal with a playful handshake. When we got back to camp a few minutes later, we were chatting about our journey tomorrow. However, once we stepped into the open, and saw Iroh hunched on the ground, we stopped talking at the sight.

"Iroh…" I stepped forward with worry. "Are you okay?"

"Ah… Crystal… Zuko… remember that plant that I thought might be tea?"

He stood with his back towards us. I felt horror fill inside me. Zuko looked terrified.

His nephew shouted with terror, "You didn't!"

Iroh turned towards us, and we both couldn't believe our eyes. He was covered in red rashes and his eyes were puffy and swollen. We both gasped in both shock and disbelief.

"I did… And it wasn't." He scratched at his cheek which was broken out the most. "When the rash spreads to my throat, I will stop breathing." He pulled something forward with excitement though, as if he wasn't dying and all was grand. "But look what I found! These are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the white jade plant. That, or macahoni berries that cause blindness."

Zuko stomped over to his uncle and hit the berries from his hands. "We're not taking any more chances with these plants! We need to find you some help." He turned to me with sudden plea. "Crystal, do you think you can heal him?"

Staring at Iroh's rash, I said with uncertainty, "I'm not sure… I can try…"

Stepping forward, I pulled some water up from a puddle nearby and went to touch Iroh with the water. As I placed the water over his skin, I let the cool liquid settle on a place where the rash was most prominent. The water began to glow, and I saw the rash start to fade. I wondered if perhaps my healing was working against the poison of the plant, but once my glowing stopped and I moved to another spot where red decorated his skin, the spot I already healed started to redden again. I pulled my hand back, dropping the water to the ground in surprise.

"Uh… I think we need to seek an experts help…I haven't really learned how to heal people with internal issues…"

Zuko and Iroh agreed. "We need to find someone in the area who knows about poisonous plants."

"But where are we going to go?" Iroh pondered. "We're enemies of the Earth Kingdom, and fugitives from the Fire Nation."

Zuko seemed to think about our situation. "If the Earth Kingdom discovers us they'll have us killed…"

Iroh added, "But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we'll be turned over to Azula."

The three of us looked at one another with dread. Zuko nodded and dropped his stick with the fish on the ground. "Earth Kingdom it is."

Iroh scratched a bump on his chin looking around at our surroundings. "If my bearings are correct, we should be only a few miles from a small earth kingdom colony. We should be able to find someone who can help us there."

"Let's get a move on then…" Zuko looked at the rash spreading on his uncle with utter worry. "We're wasting time."

We started off towards the Earth Kingdom town in which Iroh spoke off, the three of us eager to get Iroh the help he needed. As we walked on, Zuko scolded his uncle heavily for eating the plant after he told him not to. Then he stated to Iroh that they needed to come up with some good names to cover up their identity. He also said I would need a disguise name as well since the Fire Nation would probably be on the lookout for me too. Iroh agreed, stating, "No concerns nephew. I have it all taken care of. I've even got a wonderful cover story."

As we headed with more haste through the woods, I asked Iroh how he knew so much about the Earth Kingdom. He went into a long tale about his journey through the Earth Kingdom under disguise so he could sneak to Ba Sing Se to join the fleet. When I asked him what Ba Sing Se was, both Zuko and Iroh looked at me with shock. Iroh explained to me quickly about the city, saying it was the center and stronghold of the Earth Kingdom. He stated that capturing Ba Sing Se would mean controlling the Earth Kingdom as a whole.

I cringed at his explanation.

When we finally reached what appeared to be civilization, I could see the town was a small rural setting. There were perhaps twenty homes, and each one of them was spread some distance from the other giving the family land for farming. The sun was gone at the point of our arrival, but there were still people out in their yards doing some last minute chores. We quickly questioned an older man who was pulling at some weeds near the dirt path we walked down. He gestured us to the end of the town, where a woman named Song worked in a large stone building as one of the healers. She was the town's best healer, and knew all about the herbs of the area.

When we got to the healers building, Song looked like she was just packing up for the night to head home. She looked up however when she saw us crowd in front of the entrance to the room she was working in. She was the last healer in the building, the rest having gone home to their families for the night. Her eyes widened at the sight of Iroh's puffy cheeks and swelling neck. As she quickly took Iroh under her care, forcing his shirt off so she could place cream on his rash, Zuko and I sat behind her leaning against the wall of the building. Song was definitely young for a healer, and she was pretty too. She was taller than me, and her hair was much darker. She had hazel eyes that shined in the firelight from her lantern.

"You three must not be from around here," she said as she aided Iroh. "We know better than to touch the white jade, much less make it into tea and drink it."

Iroh smiled sheepishly. "Heh, heh, heh… Whoops…"

She looked at all three of us curiously. "So where are you traveling from?"

Zuko grew anxious suddenly and stood up rapidly. "Yes! We're travelers!"

She was surprised by his response, but brushed it off. "Do you have names?"

Zuko's face turned red. I watched him with question. "Names…? Of course we have names. I'm... Lee. And this is my uncle, uh... Mushi." He gestured towards his uncle. Then he jerked his finger towards me. "That's Avani."

She looked at me with puzzlement. "Are you related?"

Crossing my arms self-consciously, I answered, "We're just friends. My parents were killed in a fire and Mushi took me in. He raised me along with Lee."

She seemed satisfied with my answer. "I'm so sorry for your loss… But at least you have people to look after you. I take from your names you all are from the Earth Kingdom then?"

Iroh nodded. "Yes. Born and raised." He smiled then. "My nephew was named after his father, who was a powerful Earth Kingdom general. We just call him Junior."

Zuko narrowed his eyes at Iroh, while I covered my mouth to hold in the laugh that wanted to escape.

"Avani, Mushi, and Junior, huh? My name is Song. You three look like you could use a good meal. Why don't you stay for dinner?"

The young lady, Song, looked at the three of us with utter kindness. Zuko bent and grabbed my hand pulling me up. He seemed eager to leave, probably scared Song would figure out his true identity. "Sorry, but we need to be moving."

She seemed to actually pout. "That's too bad. My mom always makes too much roast duck."

Iroh perked up at the sound of food. "Where do you live exactly?"

She giggled at Iroh's persistence. Zuko let out a heavy sigh of defeat. I stared at Zuko's hand holding tightly to my own with a blush. His hand in my own felt natural and comfortable...

A few moments later we were in Song's home. Her mother seemed like a kind older lady who eagerly took us under her wing. Their home was a small wooden cabin, and there was a wooden building outback for their farm animals. When we first arrived, Song's mother quickly urged her daughter to get me a change of clothing. The clothes I wore were torn and covered in filth. Song quickly led me deeper into the small home, taking me into her room. She handed me a plain dark green dress that looked like it would flow just at my ankles.

"It's one of my older ones. You're a little shorter than me so it should fit. I grew out of it a while ago."

I grimaced when Song commented on how short I was. I knew I was small for my age. At the thought, I couldn't help but glance at Song and feel self-conscious about my own body. She had a more mature figure with curves and a bigger chest. She was so pretty… I felt so average.

As I began to pull the dress on, I heard Song converse with me. "Lee and Mushi seem like a handful," she said. "You mustn't get bored being with them."

Letting the dress fall against my ankles, I answered, "They're good company to be with. They take care of me."

She smiled. "That Lee's pretty handsome."

My eyes widened. I blushed and looked down. "Uh… Yeah. He is."

"I'd love to know the story behind his scar."

Her desire made me uneasy. I turned to head to her door. "Maybe you could ask him."

She seemed excited about my statement. "I will."

Her optimism made my stomach ache. I knew Song had taken an interest in Zuko, and that made me feel uncomfortable. Why though? She was just a girl who was being nice.

Looking at her pretty figure again, I felt the uneasy feelings only intensify. Song was pretty and a year older than me. She was more mature both physically and mentally.

Was I really comparing myself to this chick? I shook my head as I headed out into the hall. I needed to get a grip.

As we both returned to the dining area, we saw Iroh was already chowing down on the meal Song's mom prepared. Zuko shoved his food absentmindedly with a fork, probably thinking about everything that had transpired in the last few days. Song took the place beside Zuko, leaving me to sit beside her mom. Her action seemed to pass everyone's notice but my own. I couldn't help the feelings that suddenly surged through me. I wasn't thrilled with the attention Song was giving to Zuko.

As we ate, Song's mom broke into conversation. "My daughter tells me you're refugees. We were once refugees ourselves."

Song grimaced as she joined the conversation. "When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided our farming village. All the men were taken away. That was the last time I saw my father."

The feelings inside me dimmed as I suddenly felt sorry for Song. I knew what that was like… I hadn't seen my dad since he left to go to war with the other warriors. Of course I couldn't tell that to Song or her mom since I was thought to be an orphan.

Zuko hung his head at her words. "I haven't seen my father in many years."

Song took interest in Zuko more, which made the feelings come back again. I looked down at my food with unease. "Oh. Is he fighting in the war?"

A small pause fell through the room. Iroh frowned as he ate his food. I glanced at Zuko's conflicted face with worry. "Yeah," he said softly. He stood then. "I'm going to go get some air."

He left the room, leaving the rest of us to watch him go with worry. Once he was gone, I went to follow but was beat to the punch. Song stood and left the room, and I watched her go with a pang in my heart. This girl was taking _way_ too much interest in Zuko…

Song's mother let out a heavy sigh. "That girl… She's always chasing after the first guy she sees." She looked over at me with a smile. "So Avani, right? What village do you come from?"

My eyes had been on the doorway as my heart pounded heavily. However, at her question I tried to knock myself out of it. Looking down at my half eaten plate of food, I said softly, "I don't know. I was too young to remember." I hated lying, but I knew it was better not to give away that I was water tribe. That would cause Song's mother too much suspicion.

"That's so sad… I know what it's like to lose someone to the Fire Nation's cruelty. It seems we've all suffered by those monsters hands."

Iroh let out a heavy sigh. "Yes… The Fire Nation has definitely caused much suffering."

I looked at Iroh with surprise. The older man seemed greatly conflicted as he thought about all the horrors he had seen in the past. I wondered how much suffering Iroh had caused on others at that moment. I knew Iroh was a kind man with a compassionate heart, but I also was aware he had a past as a Fire Nation general. Had he killed anyone? Had he set fire to homes? Had he burned anyone before?

Almost half an hour passed, and Zuko and Song finally returned. They took their places at the table and ate once more in silence. Zuko seemed even more conflicted than he originally was when he left, and I wondered what he and Song had been speaking about. Eventually Zuko stood, and then looked down at Iroh. "We better be moving… We have a lot of ground to cover."

Iroh frowned at his nephew's persistence, and then stood with a heavy heart. He didn't want to leave the comfort and homeliness that Song and her mother were providing.

"Very well…" He turned towards Song's mother with a smile. "Thank you for the duck. It was excellent."

She nodded, standing as well. She picked up a cloth bag from the table and handed it over to Iroh. "You're welcome. It brings me joy to see someone eat my cooking with such... gusto."

Zuko sighed, and then glanced over at me. He gestured for me to follow, and I obediently stood from the table to leave as well.

"Much practice," Iroh stated while patting his stomach. Then he noticed his nephew leaving and said, "Junior, where are your manners? You need to thank these nice people."

Zuko grimaced as he became the center of attention. He turned his head slightly, saying, "Thank you."

He started to head out, but Song stepped forward to stop him. "Wait Lee… I know you don't think there's any hope left in the world, but there is hope. The Avatar has returned!"

At her words, I noticed Zuko's fists tighten. I frowned knowing what he was thinking. He wanted to capture Aang more than ever now. He felt it was the only way to go home…

"I know," he said softly. He stepped out of the room then, heading into the dark air outside. Iroh bowed to Song and her mother with respect and followed.

Heading towards the entrance, I turned to them to give my own gratitude. "Thank you for everything."

Song seemed to recover from the disbelief she felt at Zuko's passiveness. She nodded over to me with a smile. "Anytime. Make sure Mushi stays away from anything that looks edible. He's too curious for his own good."

Song's mother stepped in. "Also stay away from that white plant I mentioned earlier. A lot of it grows in this area. It's extremely fatal." She began to pick up the plates of food. "Come help me clean up the kitchen, Song." She turned and headed out of the room.

Before she followed, Song stepped over to me grabbing my hands. "You're so lucky to have someone who cares so much about you. Lee told me how much you mean to him. I wish I had a guy who felt that way about me." She left me then to rush into the kitchen. As she disappeared through the doorway, I stood in disbelief taking in what she said.

Zuko told her he cared about me?

"Avani! Come on," Iroh shouted behind me. His voice brought me out of my shock, and I turned quickly to head outside and follow my companions. When I caught up to Zuko and Iroh, I could tell they both were tired from our long day. We all looked like we could use some much needed sleep. An ostrich horse was tied to a post nearby, and I watched with shock as Zuko walked over to it. He seemed determined as he began to untie the creature from the post.

"What are you doing?" Iroh asked appalled. "These people just showed you great kindness."

Zuko hoisted himself onto the giant animal and then held his hand down to Iroh. "They're about to show us a little more kindness." Iroh stared at his waiting hand with disapproval. "Well?"

Iroh let out a heavy sigh, and took Zuko's hand. He climbed behind Zuko onto the beast. Zuko looked over at me as he held his hand to me as well.

"This doesn't feel right," I said, taking a step back in shock. "This is stealing, Zuko."

"No… This is surviving." He inched down so his hand was closer to me. "Get on before I make you."

I narrowed my eyes. "I hate it when you act like this." I crossed my arms. "I'll walk." Turning, I started to walk away from Song's home. I couldn't believe my eyes. I had been so thrilled a few moments ago that Zuko had told Song he cared about me. However, his sudden criminal actions made me irritated. Why was he suddenly becoming a thief? We were all better than this.

What was going on in that head of his?

The ostrich-horse suddenly stepped in my path making me stop. I looked up at Zuko with a scowl. "Zuko… I'm not getting on a stolen animal."

"You're not walking," he firmly said.

"Yes I am. I have two legs that work perfectly fine. Move!"

He ignored me. Dropping from the Ostrich-horse, he stepped over to me. Grabbing my arm, he jerked me to him. I gasped at the sudden action, and then smashed my hand against him. "Hey! Let me go!" He easily lifted my body and forced me onto the creature. I shrieked and quickly scrambled to get a hold and balance myself. I didn't have to scramble for long. Zuko quickly hoisted himself up behind me. He wrapped one arm around my waist, while his other hand grabbed the rein of the ostrich-horse. We were moving then through the dark, away from Song and her mother.

"Prince Zuko… I hope you know what you're doing," Iroh muttered. "A life of thievery isn't something one should proudly live up to."

Zuko let out a heavy breath in my ear. "I'm not proud of this."

Iroh was frustrated and seemed to be trying to understand his nephews latest action. "Then why are we taking this creature?"

There was a moment of silence as the ostrich-horse carried us out of the village. Finally, Zuko answered with a question of his own. "Do you want to walk all day long through the Earth Kingdom?"

Iroh seemed to fall quiet at Zuko's words, realizing he didn't mind having transportation. As the two men behind me fell quiet, I shifted to try and get more comfortable. There wasn't really anything I could say to change the situation, so I decided not to say anything at all.

It was past midnight by the time we returned to camp. The moon was very high in the sky, and we were all exhausted. Zuko made the ostrich-horse stop, and then Iroh slid off with a heavy yawn. "I'm going to get some shut eye. You kids probably should do the same."

He turned and headed into the cave, leaving both Zuko and I under the light of the moon. Zuko slid off the creature next, and then helped me off last. As soon as my feet hit the dirt, I ripped away from Zuko and headed towards the woods.

"Crystal! Where are you going?"

I kept walking. "I don't associate with thieves." I knew I was being stubborn and a little over dramatic, but I needed to go be alone. Zuko frustrated me. One minute he was kind, caring, sensitive, and funny. The next minute he was a foolish and irrational hot headed Prince. He drove my head crazy with his constant mood swings.

Of course I understood why he was so conflicted. Zuko basically had nothing. He didn't even have a possession to his name at the moment. Everything he'd had was destroyed in the explosion. Although I was highly against him stealing Song's animal, I did feel kind of bad for him. He had no home, no property, and no title. He was lost.

I wondered what he spoke about with Song though to make him so eager to steal her animal?

"Crystal!" A hand grabbed my arm and twisted me around. I stumbled as I was forced to face Zuko. In the light of the moon, I could tell he was irritated I ignored his earlier calls. "It's just an animal."

Jerking from his hand, I snapped, "An animal you stole Zuko! We're trying to keep a low profile! If you go around stealing animals, the whole Earth Kingdom will be out to get us."

Zuko was surprised by my statement, but he let it pass. "I did what was best for the three of us. Our journey will be much easier now that we don't have to walk."

"How do you think Song and her mom feel about this? We've betrayed them after so much kindness."

He released my arm and crossed his arms stubbornly. "I'm their enemy. What do I care?"

I let out an aggravated sigh and turned again. "You're ridiculous... No one said you have to be their enemy."

I started to walk again, but his next words made me stop.

"My father taught me everyone outside of the Fire Nation is the enemy," he argued.

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. Turning towards him, I pointed a finger at myself. "I'm Water Tribe, Zuko! Am I your enemy?"

He fell quiet as he took in what I said. He then let out a heavy breath, his hand pressing to his face in disbelief. He was coming to his senses. "No… You're not my enemy…" He paused for a moment, ran his hand through his hair in frustration, and then dropped his arm to his side. "That's not my point though… If those people knew who I truly was, they would hate me. The bottom line is we're enemies. That girl made it pretty clear she'd never trust the real me."

Stepping over to Zuko, I had to ask. "What did you and Song talk about?"

He met my eyes with confliction, frowned, and looked down at the ground. "Song told me about how the Fire Nation hurt her… She showed me a scar on her leg from where one of the soldiers burned her." He grimaced. "She said she hated them for what they did to her. She told me if she ever met anyone from the Fire Nation she'd kill them."

I frowned. Looks like the Fire Nation had left their mark on many people. "That's why you turned so sour?"

He shook his head. "No…" His eyes shut tightly. "She asked about my scar, and then she wanted to know about yours… I told her I didn't know the story behind yours which seemed to amuse her." He crossed his arms and turned from me. "She said she was surprised you hadn't told me… something about thinking we were an item and how she expected we knew everything about each other…"

His words made me cringe and hang my head. Crossing my arms, I went to speak but stopped myself. I didn't know what to say.

There was a short moment of silence. Zuko spoke again though with a tense tone. "Song made me realize that I'm frustrated you don't trust me enough to tell me about your scar." I winced at his words. So his mood was more because of me…?

A hand gently grabbed my chin and forced me to look up. "Why won't you tell me?" His eyes looked desperately into my own as he desired to know the one thing I had told no one. "You know about mine… It's only fair I know about yours."

"It's too painful, Zuko…" I shook my head. "I can't tell you…"

He looked hurt. "You should be able to tell me anything… Don't you love me?"

"Of course I do…" I promised softly.

"Then if you love me, you should feel safe telling me anything."

Grabbing his hand, I shut my eyes as the painful memories of the past tried to come back to me. Every part of me wanted to tell Zuko to forget about it and drop the topic. However, I knew Zuko was right. I knew his story… It was only fair I told him my own.

"Okay…" Opening my eyes, I met Zuko's surprised gaze. "You're right… It's only fair you know… But not here… I'll tell you everything tomorrow…"

He seemed like he wanted to argue, but he stopped. He could see the sincerity in my gaze. With defeat, he nodded and brushed his fingers against my cheekbone where the scar began. I shut my eyes enjoying his warm skin on my own.

Zuko would be the first person I ever old my story to. Ever since that horrible day I buried the memories deep away. However, I knew telling Zuko was what I wanted to do. Him being the first to know about my scar felt right… I felt comfort knowing someone would be able to share the burden I'd kept hidden away for so long.

Telling my story would be a challenge in itself though. It wasn't a day I liked to remember.


	22. Black Flakes

**A/N: I know I say this all the time, but here I go again: "I'm so so so so sorry!" I got so caught up with school, moving back home, and beginning summer break that this story was pushed to the background of my life. I'm going to get right back on it though! Promise! This chapter is a little shorter than most, but hopefully its enjoyable!**

 **Thanks for your patience and** **encouragement** **!**

 **-Faithy Waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 22: Black Flakes**

Sitting by the fire, I looked at the dancing flames gripping my wooden cup tight in my hands. Where the cup came from, I decided better than to ask Zuko or Iroh. The day had passed by with us journeying more through the Earth Kingdom. I wasn't exactly sure what our destination was, but since I had nowhere else to go I decided to blindly follow. We journeyed for about eight hours, and then decided to make camp again. I'd promised Zuko I'd tell him everything after dinner. He was impatient to know my story, but I asked him to wait a little bit longer.

Since I had promised Zuko I'd tell him about my scars, I'd been pretty absentminded through the course of the day. After Zuko and I had gotten some sleep the night before, he asked me that next morning if I was going to share my story. That was when I told him he'd know everything after dinner. I didn't want to tell my story and then be forced to dwell over everything as we walked through the Earth Kingdom. I preferred to tell my story at night, so when I was done I could go to sleep and sink away from my pain and sorrow.

Iroh wasn't at all oblivious to my silent mood during our journey. He questioned me on my absentmindedness, and I simply told him the truth. When he said he too desired to know the story behind my scar, I felt ready to tell him too. I don't know why, but I felt at ease with the thought that Iroh would know the horrors of my past as well.

Of course, I also felt guilty. Would telling Zuko and Iroh before my family be betrayal?

When we did finally make camp for the night, Zuko mentioned something about going to get food and disappeared for an hour. When he returned, he came back with a bag full of random goodies. I knew he stole them, but I decided I didn't feel like having the same conversation I had with him the night before. The Ostrich-horse that slept behind me was still stolen property I tried not to mention.

Speaking of the ostrich-horse, I'd decided to at least name the creature, and so I called him Zan. Iroh loved the name, and Zuko didn't comment.

Zan took a liking to me almost instantly, and I think it was because in the morning I snuck him some moonpeach from the pile I had gathered before Zuko and Iroh awoke. Ever since then Zan followed me around, nuzzled me with his beak, and sat beside me whenever we needed to rest. Zuko noticed and asked if I was an animal whisperer. I joked that he was just jealous I had a new boyfriend. Iroh laughed at my comment. Zuko rolled his eyes and told me he wasn't willing to share.

However, the mood was no longer light-hearted after dinner. Zan curled around me as he slept, and I enjoyed the warmth as his feathers brushed against me. Zuko and Iroh sat across the fire, both of them holding their own cups of tea in their hands. We were drinking Chamomile Tea, which was made in a pot that Zuko had brought us. I once again didn't comment on the stolen goods.

As the fire continued to rage before my eyes, I glanced over at Zuko and Iroh who were waiting for me to speak. They were silent, knowing I would begin when I was ready. With a deep breath, I looked back at the fire as the memories seeped back in.

"Before I begin, you two should know that I've never told this story to anyone… I always thought about telling my family the events that occurred, but I didn't want to afflict them with such horrors. The pain and despair I experienced was something I always felt I needed to bear alone." I shut my eyes hard as tears threatened to fall. "The thought of my family hearing about the things I went through made me uneasy. My dad was already hurting enough… The last thing I needed was him suffering more…"

I looked back at my two companions who waited patiently for me to begin. Zuko gripped his cup tight as he was eager to hear my scars origins. Placing my cup down, I pulled my knees to my chest for comfort as I prepared to let it all out. My skin tingled where the scar painted my skin as I recounted everything that occurred leading up to my permanent mark.

"My story begins on a cold spring day… My brother and I were nine and my sister was eight. We were too young to know the horrors of war, but we heard stories from the elders of our tribe. The last time the Fire Nation came to our tribe was twenty years before we were born. They would usually come to imprison waterbenders, but overtime they took every waterbender we had and so the raids stopped. We were left alone for twenty years, allowed to live in peace and forget the bloodshed around us. However, that changed when word spread around about my sister…

"We all are pretty sure we know the man who told the Fire Nation about Katara… His name was Kota, and he had tried to get a group of followers to promote him as chief. He didn't like my father's methods in keeping our warriors centered at home. He wanted to be out destroying the enemy, and he felt the South Pole were cowards for not setting out to fight Fire Nation fleets. However, his three followers were no match for my father's supporters, and so Kota bitterly left the South Pole to go fight the Fire Nation on his own. He's the only man who left the South Pole in the time my sister discovered her abilities, so we're all pretty certain he told the Fire Nation about her out of spite."

Taking in a deep breath, I looked away from the fire and down at the dirt in deep thought.

"When the Fire Nation arrived on our shores six years ago, none of us were prepared for the violence that would occur. From the battle, we would lose ten of our strongest warriors… We would also lose my mom…"

The only sound that could be heard was the crackling of the fire. Shutting my eyes again, I told Zuko and Iroh the very thing I hadn't told another soul.

"Katara, Sokka, and I had been playing in the snow when the black flakes began to fall… I remember it as if it were yesterday…"

 _Sitting up in the snow, I pouted at my laughing brother. "Sokka!"_

 _He giggled and held his hand out to me. Katara decided to join my side and picked up snow to pelt it at Sokka. She was shorter than Sokka and I, but stronger because of her waterbending. She was ready to toss snow at our brother who continued to giggle. She exclaimed, "I'm gonna get you, Sokka!"_

 _Previously my brother had been chasing me through the snow, and he managed to catch up to me and shove me down. As he did so, my little sister Katara helped me out of cold mush, only for me to fall back in it. Sokka couldn't help but burst out into laughter, which was why I shouted at him._

 _"_ _You two will never get me!" Sokka said, but still offered his hand to me. I took it and he helped me out of the snow. "You know I'm invincible!"_

 _I rolled my eyes. "Yeah right, Sokka." I bent down quickly and grabbed some snow tossing it at him. He covered his face with his hands, and snow decorated his gloves. In the process, Katara took her advantage and threw snow at the side of his head. He didn't have time to block that one. I beamed and exclaimed, "You're an easy target."_

 _Katara giggled, and Sokka lowered his hands with his own pout. "Only when you two gang up on me!"_

 _Just as Sokka was about to pick up more snow to fling at us, we stopped as black flakes drifted past our line of sight. Looking up at the sky, we were horrified to see dark clouds had begun to drift over us. We weren't sure what the black flakes meant, but when we heard the screams from the rest of the villagers we knew it couldn't be good. Men began to run past us, each one brandishing spears and other forms of weaponry. As they raced towards the ocean outside the tribe, the three of us looked at one another with horror._

 _"_ _I'm going to join the fight," Sokka bravely said, racing away from us._

 _Katara looked terrified, knowing danger was headed our way. "I'm going to find Gran Gran… You go make sure mom's okay." She turned and raced off towards where the elders had been gathered earlier in the day. As she went her way, I ran towards our hut to go make sure mom was okay._

 _My heart pounded in my chest as I heard the shouts grow louder. My speed accelerated as I began to fear the worst would happen to all of us. When I got to the hut, I wasn't surprised to find my mother standing at the doorway with horror. She was a woman of beauty, with wavy dark brown hair that was tied back. She wore her warm blue coat, which her mother had made for her a few months before. Her blue eyes followed my movements with concern._

 _"_ _Crystal! Where are your brother and sister?"_

 _I raced over to my mom, and stopped in front of her trying to catch my breath. When I could finally speak, I answered, "Katara went to find grandma, and Sokka ran off to fight with the warriors."_

 _My mother was horrified when she heard that my brother was going into battle. She however grabbed my arm and pulled me quickly into the hut. Pulling me to the other side of our small dome home, she told me to sit and stay silent. My body shook in fear as I imagined what could be occurring back at the other end of the village._

 _"_ _Is it the Fire Nation, mommy?"_

 _My mother knelt in front of me with a small nod, her eyes concerned and fearful herself. She tried to stay strong for me. "I won't let them hurt you, sweetie… I promise."_

 _"_ _Mommy… I'm scared… What if they hurt daddy and the other warriors?"_

 _Her blue eyes turned misty as tears began to form, but she tried not to shed them. Instead, she sat beside me and pulled me into her warm maternal hold. "He'll be fine… Your father and the other warriors are strong… I pray one of the elders has stopped your brother by now. Sokka's too young to fight." She shut her eyes and pressed her face into my hair trying to ease her worries. "I'm sure Sokka and Katara are both fine…"_

 _The shouts and screams seemed to go on forever. I wasn't sure how long I sat in my mother's arms, but I felt comfort knowing I wasn't alone as the war raged on outside our hut. Tears were falling down my cheeks, and my mother continued to try and reassure me that all would be alright._

 _Just as we thought maybe the shouts would end, the sound of armor clinking and shouts were heard approaching our home. My mother gasped and stood quickly, stepping in front of me as three men in red and black armor entered our home. Two of the men stayed by the door to block the entrance, while their leader stepped towards us with bloodthirst in his ember eyes. He sneered at my mother, his fists tightening as he attempted to appear intimidating and superior._

 _"_ _Are you Chief Hakoda's wife?"_

 _My body shook at the cold voice that echoed through our large igloo home. My mom tried to stay strong, but I could hear the fear in her voice when she spoke. "I am. What do you want?!"_

 _He smirked, and I whimpered when he stepped forward breaking some distance between us. "I heard from some reliable sources that there's a waterbender among you all. When I questioned this said source, he told me the waterbender was among the family of the Southern Water Tribe Chief Hakoda."_

 _My eyes widened in horror. Katara… He was talking about Katara…_

 _"_ _My source also informed me the waterbender was a female." He stepped closer, and my mother backed up not wanting him to have the chance to harm me._

 _"_ _I don't know where your getting this information, but it isn't true. There are no waterbenders in this village."_

 _He growled. "Don't play with me woman!" He reached forward and grabbed my mother by the hair. She gasped in pain, but tried to stay strong. As this happened, I stood with horror. "I have no time for lies! Where is the waterbender?!" His shout caused spit to fly at my mom, and she cringed in disgust._

 _"_ _Mommy!" I broke out into cries. "Stop!"_

 _The man noticed me for the first time, and his eyes stared into my soul. He grinned as a devious plan came to his mind. Jerking my mom to the side, he released her hair causing her to fall to her knees. She cried out from the impact. As this occurred the tyrant lunged toward me and grabbed my coat sleeve jerking me to him. I shrieked in fear, and quickly tried to jerk from his hand. He held strong, and I quickly came up with a plan. As he held my coat sleeve, I quickly slid out from under it and freed myself leaving my warm cover behind. As the man held onto my empty coat, I stumbled away from him with horror. My foot stumbled over a fur pelt, and I dropped to the floor of our home with wide eyes._

 _"_ _Crystal! Run!"_

 _I was frozen in fear. I didn't want to leave my mom._

 _He was furious at my escape from him, and I watched with horror as my coat caught fire in his hand. "You damn brat! I'll kill you!"_

 _He stepped forward, dropping my burning coat to the floor. I quickly scrambled to find my feet, but I didn't have to dodge him. My mother was in front of me again, and she looked outraged. She extended her arms to create a barrier between me and the man. "Don't touch my daughter!"_

 _He growled and snapped, "Tell me what I want to know, and she won't be harmed!_ _T_ _ell me! Who is it? Who's the waterbender?"_

 _My mother defended my sister from the cruel man. "There are no waterbenders here. The Fire Nation took them all away a long time ago!"_

 _The man growled. "You will tell me!"_

 _"_ _There's nothing to tell!"_

 _"_ _You're lying. My source says there's one waterbender left in The Southern Water Tribe." He grabbed my mother's coat collar and spat at her, "We're not leaving until we find the waterbender."_

 _My mother stood with indignation, her hands tight in fists. He took my mother's defiance with impatience, and suddenly his hand jerked her to the side again, only this time she was restrained by one of the other two soldiers. As she gasped and struggled in the man's hold, the leader grabbed me again. This time he had his hand around my waist and lifted me from the floor as if I were a sack carried at his side. I struggled and shrieked trying to force him to release me._

 _"_ _Let her go!" My mother struggled harder in her captor's hold. "Please! She's just a child!"_

 _"_ _Tell me who the waterbender is!" He lifted me further from the ground and I felt sick. "Or else your daughter will pay for your insolence."_

 _My mother cried, "I already told you! Please let her go!"_

 _He growled. "Wrong answer!"_

 _The next thing I knew, the worst searing pain imaginable was burning into my skin right on my abdomen. The smell of burning flesh filled the air as my body burst into agonizing pain. A blood curdling scream escaped me as the man burned through my shirt into my skin with his fire. I screamed and thrashed wildly to escape the smoldering that was tearing through my flesh._

 _"_ _CRYSTAL! STOP! I'LL TELL YOU! JUST STOP!"_

 _The man dropped me suddenly to the ground, and I sobbed as I rolled on my side and felt my abdomen pulse in pain. The handprint burn felt as if fire were still dancing on my body. The man jerked me back up from the ground, and I stumbled blinded by the pain. My nine-year-old body was growing faint from the trauma inflicted on it, but I tried to stay alert._

 _"_ _I'm listening," he said with impatience. My eyes looked over at my mom with terror, afraid for my sister's life._

 _My mom hung her head, saying softly, "If I tell you, do you promise to leave the rest of the village alone?"_

 _The man seemed to think over it for a moment, and then he made a noise in agreement._

 _My mom looked over at my pain filled eyes with tears. She then looked back at the monster with defeat. "It's me… Take me as your prisoner."_

 _My eyes widened in horror. What was mom doing? Why was she lying?_

 _Of course I quickly knew why: Katara... She was protecting Katara..._

 _My body was released and I fell weakly to the ground. He stepped over me and approached my mother. "I'm afraid I'm not taking prisoners today."_

 _As his words sunk into my ears, and when his comrade forced my mother down on her knees realization hit me. I'd always heard about murder, and I knew about death. However, the thought of this man killing my mom made a new surge of determination fill inside me. With what strength I could find, I stood and rushed between the monster and my mom._

 _He scowled at my intrusion on his attempt to take my mother's life. "Step aside girl!"_

 _My mother's weak and terrified voice said from behind me, "Crystal... Do as he says."_

 _Ignoring the pain on my abdomen, I stood in defiance and shouted, "No!"_

 _He growled. "Then suffer!"_ _He lit a flame in his hand ready to attack me, but my mother stood quickly and pulled me back._

 _"_ _Stop!" My mother held me close to her, and she forced me to press my face into her coat. "You can kill me… Just spare my daughter… I beg of you…"_

 _I gasped. Hot tears clouded my vision. "Mommy! No! Mommy!"_

 _She kissed me on the forehead suddenly, saying softly, "I love you, Crystal… Please stay strong for me…"_

 _The same guard who had once restrained my mom, stepped forward and grabbed me into a firm restraining hold. I cried out as I was jerked away from my mother. She let out a sob as she fell to her knees in front of her executioner._

 _The killer stepped forward with nothing but malice in his expression. "The last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe… So pathetic." He lunged his boot forward and it slammed into my mother's face knocking her back._

 _"_ _Mom!" I struggled in the man's hold wanting to help my mother. She lied on her back, and I saw blood trickle from her lip. She weakly sat up, her hand pressing to the place that bled. "No! Mommy!"_

 _Her eyes looked over at my restrainer, and she said softly, "Please don't let her see this… I don't want her to watch…"_

 _As if the man had some pity, he forced me to turn so my face was pressed against his armor. As he held me firm to his rigid body, I heard another smack and a cry from my mother. "Mommy!" I shut my eyes tight as her screams pierced through my ears. Heat was felt behind me, followed by another scream from my mother. The man had shot fire at her and burned her. She breathed heavily, and I struggled more to try and go to her aid. The soldier holding me made sure I couldn't move. His breathing had stopped as he witnessed whatever was occurring._

 _"_ _I hate to end this so soon, but we're due back to the Fire Nation tomorrow and can't be delayed." The sound of a knife being pulled out of a sheath was heard, and I gasped knowing what was about to happen._

 _My mom struggled to speak. "Please… don't… do… this…"_

 _He chuckled. "It's already done."_

 _A cry of pain rang through our igloo home, and then dead silence followed. My eyes widened as I heard the sound of a body drop to the floor. My breathing stopped as I heard the man sheath his knife back._

 _"_ _Pathetic… I at least expected the last waterbender to fight back." The killer sighed. "Ah well… Our mission is complete. Grab the body. We'll take it as proof."_

 _My restrainer finally released me, and I gasped when I turned and saw my lifeless mother on the floor. Her hair was sprawled around her, her eyes closed, her mouth dropped open, and her coat was drenched in blood. The same guard who had restrained me went to grab her body, but I quickly stepped in his path._

 _"_ _Step aside," the killer ordered. He hadn't moved from his spot._

 _Shaking my head, I turned and dropped on my knees grasping to my mother's body for dear life. "No!"_

 _He growled. "Then I'll kill you girl!"_

 _Shaking my head, I pressed my face into my mother's coat and my tears mixed with her blood. She was as frozen as ice. Her heart made no sound as it was still in her chest. Her spirit had departed from her. She was gone…_

 _A hand grabbed me and jerked me away from my mother. The killer dragged me away from her body and shoved me onto the floor. I turned to look up at him with tear stained cheeks. "You killed her! You killed her!"_

 _He curled his lip and tightened his fists. "I did. Waterbenders are pathetic. They deserve nothing more than death."_

 _I stood then, my body pulsing with fury. "You killed her!"_

 _He stared into my eyes in shock, surprised by my sudden fury. Then he scowled and looked at his comrade who stood behind me. "I just realized… If that wench was a waterbender, this runt is probably one as well." He suddenly held a flame in his hand. "It's better to take care of this matter now. I'd rather not come back here again." He looked back down at me with the most heartless eyes I'd ever seen. "You want mommy… I'll send you right behind her!"_

 _All I remember after that is a bright red light flashing in my vision. Then pain. Finally, nothing…_

"When I came to, all I remember is pain… The man burned me in the face, and I fell unconscious on my mother's body. My father found me, and when he realized I was alive he picked me up and carried me to some friends. They told me I was in and out for the course of three weeks. They only managed to keep me conscious long enough to keep me from starving. When I finally was fully alert again, I found the village was in ruins and my mother was gone forever…"

My voice trailed off at the end of my tale, and I heard silence hang in the air. Iroh had his eyes shut as he visualized the horror I had gone through. Zuko stared at me, his eyes wide with terror. Looking down, I wiped my eyes which had tears pouring out of them. That moment felt like a thousand chains were lifted from me though. I'd finally told someone about that day. I never imagined the two people I told would be firebenders.

"Now you know..." The campsite fell into a heavy silence. My body shook as scenes replayed in my head over and over again. My chest tightened as I struggled to breathe. "I… I'm going to go get more firewood," I said softly. Standing, I turned from the two speechless companions. My whole frame shook as I headed off into the forest. As I broke through the trees, a sob escaped me as I remembered my mother's screams.

I'd done it though… I'd told that horrible day to someone at last…

 **Zuko POV**

My eyes watched the flames dance before me, my body too stunned to move after Crystal as she headed off into the forest. My chest was tight as I recalled the story she had just told to Iroh and myself. Guilt churned inside me as I regretted asking her to tell me about her scar. The whole time she told her story, I could see the pain as she relived each moment she spoke.

Finally, I found the words to speak. "I… I thought the waterbenders were all captured? Why would that monster kill-" My voice caught in my throat. Shutting my eyes, I pictured a younger Crystal lying on her dead mother. Were the Fire Nation soldiers truly that heartless? I'd always heard about raids on the Southern Water Tribe, but I never imagined they could kill so brutally.

My uncle let out a heavy sigh beside me. "I was aware of the order made to go to the Southern Water Tribe and see to apprehending the rumored waterbender. However, I heard nothing about termination… If your father issued that order, he did it out of ears of the council. Whoever was assigned to that mission must've been given secret orders to eliminate the waterbender instead of capture her."

My stomach twisted at the thought of my father issuing such an evil order. "Her mother sacrificed herself…" My heart pounded sharply in my chest. "I can see where she gets her personality from…"

Uncle looked down at the ground in disturbance. "Such a weak tribe… I can't imagine attacking something so vulnerable." He ran a hand over his eyes to wipe the moisture. "I always wanted to believe the Fire Nation was doing the right thing. However, the more I learn and see about the damage our people have inflicted, the more I grow disgusted with my part in the war."

Grimacing, I stood and turned from Uncle with my fists tight to both sides. My father had ordered the Fire Nation to kill the waterbender? How many other people had he ordered to die in the past? How many people was he sentencing to death at present?

Something my mother spoke to me a long time ago returned to my mind:

 _"_ _Remember son… All people, no matter what nation, are human's like the rest of us. We must strive in the future to help others and not destroy them. Your father believes the only way to control the world is to inflict fear. He believes killing his enemies is the only way to victory. I hope when you become Fire Lord in the future though, you will rule the world with compassion and mercy. Don't ever let your father change who you are Zuko… Keep that pure understanding heart, and you'll be a great ruler one day."_

Running a hand through my messy hair, I shut my eyes wishing the story Crystal had told me wasn't true. However, the agony that washed over her as she relayed the day in full detail did away with all my doubts. My father was a brutal and merciless monster… He didn't care who died as long as he achieved world domination.

My voice came out shattered when I spoke again. "I can't believe this… I never imagined someone could be so cruel." An image of the killer Crystal had just mentioned came to my mind. "He killed a defenseless woman… And then he burned a helpless child. What has happened to our people?"

Iroh let out a deep breath. "War can corrupt the mind of even the most honorable man, Prince Zuko. After a while, orders become parts of daily life. Killing is no longer immoral but second nature. The soldiers under your father are taught to forget their sympathies towards those of other nations. If they show even the slightest remorse or hesitation, they are labeled as weak and dishonorable. Men kill because they are trained to."

I placed my hands over my face, my teeth grit as my heart ached. We stood in silence a bit longer as we were both lost in our own thoughts.

 _"_ _He stabbed her with a knife… I'll never forget the sound of steel puncturing through flesh…"_

Crystal saw her own mother die before her eyes. No wonder she didn't like telling others about her scars. I was so desperate to know the story, but as soon as Crystal had started I realized me pushing it out of her had been a mistake. I'd never seen her in so much torment, but as she relived the memory her suffering was hard to watch.

"I'm going to find her… Make sure she's okay," I said softly. "She's been gone for a while."

"Yes… Do that. It's best she doesn't wander off too far. I'm not familiar with these parts," Uncle said with a tint of worry in his tone. "I don't want her getting lost."

Leaving the campsite, I made my way into the forest towards the direction Crystal had gone. It was dark, but the light of the moon lit my path enough. I didn't have to walk far though. As I pushed through some brush, there she was. She was perched on a fallen log, both hands covering her face. Her shoulders shook as she cried over the memories shooting through her.

As she let her tears fall, I sat beside her without a word so she could continue to let out her pain. I remembered crying in a similar way when my mom disappeared. I had no clue if she was alive or dead. One night she was there, and the next morning she was gone forever. I suppose in a way it comforted me to not know what became of my mother. I could imagine she was free from my father's control, living away from the Fire Nation in a land where she could be happy.

Crystal couldn't do that though… Her mother was killed by the Fire Nation…

My people truly were savages.

"I'm sorry," I admitted after a few minutes of letting her cry. "I shouldn't have pushed you so hard to tell me about your scars… If I had known how horribl-"

"No…" She interrupted me. She had calmed and wiped her eyes. With a heavy sigh, she looked over and spoke with a soft tone. "You were right to want to know." She hung her head and her long brown hair fell over her. "I just don't understand why it's so easy to tell you and Iroh, when I've never had the strength to tell my family. If they found out I told you about that horrible day, they would be hurt…"

"Why haven't you told them?" I tried to understand. After meeting the two water tribe kids so many times, I was certain they would be understanding of her story. "They seem to care a lot about you."

She grimaced. "I guess I've always been concerned they'll blame me. I was there, and I should've done something to stop the monster… My father had always told me to protect my family, and I let everyone down."

I let out a heavy sigh. I hated hearing her blame herself over something she had no control towards. "You did what you could… You were just a kid…"

She suddenly turned in her seat and threw her arms around my upper waist. Her sudden frame against my body took me off guard, but her trembling figure eased my surprise. Knowing she needed the embrace, I placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into me. She hugged me tighter as if letting me go would make us both disappear. Taking my other hand, I finished the embrace by pulling her completely into my arms. She sunk into me, and I pressed my face into her hair. Her strands were soft against my skin.

"I think she would've liked you," she suddenly said softly against my chest. "You're not like the other Fire Nation guys out there. You have such a warm personality."

I let out a heavy breath. "Your brother and sister think differently… They think I'm a monster."

"That's because you haven't shown them the real you," she stated.

"I'm the Prince of the Fire Nation… Son to Fire Lord Ozai, and great-grandson to the man who started this war. That's all…"

She shook her head. "No… You're just Zuko… You're a young brave man with undying determination. That's why I love you…"

I was surprised by her words. Blood rushed to my face as I was flustered.

"I don't care if the rest of my family doesn't approve…" Her voice started to fade as exhaustion began to carry her away. "I feel like I can be myself when I'm with you."

A small smile came to me as I shut my eyes. Nodding against her, I agreed, "Me too."

* * *

 **A/N: Forgot to mention, I will be doing the episode Southern Raiders in the future. I'm just going to change Book 3 around a little bit when I get there. Hopefully in a good way though. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	23. Song of the South

**Crystal POV**

The hustle and bustle of the Earth Kingdom village we arrived only an hour earlier at was deafening to my ears. When we emerged from the forest, crossed the bridge, and entered the busy city of travelers and traders we found ourselves quickly discussing how to get food. We hadn't had a full meal since dinner the night before.

It had been a little over a week since I'd told Zuko and Iroh about my scars, and that next morning we'd continued our journey as fugitives on the run. We started to see flyers being posted near Fire Nation colonies we passed of our descriptions. There was even a drawing of Zuko as well, with special detail to his scar. He tore down each one he saw in rage.

About three days ago, I'd also asked Zuko to teach me how to swim. He was surprised by my plea, and willingly did so. As Iroh sat on the side-bank of a deep pond to watch us, Zuko stood shirtless in the water while I took off my outer clothes leaving on my shifts. He wasn't thrilled everything was exposed apart from my chest and the area above my knees, but he decided fussing about it would get us nowhere.

He backed up into the deeper water, and instructed me the best he could. He told me to start with floating first, and so I tried to do just that. It took many attempts, but eventually I was successful. Then he moved on to teach me how to push myself through the water with my hands and feet, how to float on my back, and how to wolf-dog paddle. Three hours of practice later, and I was able to swim a good five meters. Each time I practiced my strokes, Zuko would always be at the end of my stretch to help me get back to the shallows.

Although I still wasn't good at treading water, Zuko told me I made great progress for someone learning so late. Iroh encouraged me to keep practicing on our journey, and stated I would become an expert one day.

"Crystal," Iroh suddenly spoke, and held out a sunhat towards me made out of twigs. "Put this on dear. You'll get sunburn."

Deciding not to argue, I gratefully took the hat from him and placed it on my head. Zan was curled up behind me, and suddenly tried to take the hat from my head. I giggled and lightly shoved his head away, saying, "No Zan… I'll let you play with it later." He pressed his beak to my cheek, and then dropped his head back on the straw mat we were seated on drifting back into a nap.

Zuko let out a heavy sigh beside me, and pulled his own twig hat down lower on his face. Iroh took his own hat off his head suddenly, and held it out to a passerby. "Any change you have to spare? We're travelers just looking for a meal." I was astonished as the couple he'd extended his begging towards kindly tossed some copper coins in his hat. He bowed his head. "May the spirits bless you."

As Iroh continued to beg for money, I leaned against Zuko who was in turn lounged back against Zan. His arms were crossed, but he felt my touch and suddenly wrapped an arm around my shoulders pulling me into his side. We stayed comfortably like that for another hour, and Iroh kept up his pitiful begging.

"Spare coins for weary travelers?"

A man threw some coins into the hat, and Iroh thanked him.

Zuko raised his head suddenly and turned his eyes towards Iroh. "This is humiliating! We're royalty. These people should be giving us whatever we want."

Rolling my eyes, I looked up at Zuko's face with disbelief. "These people don't know that though."

Iroh nodded. "Patience, Zuko. They will give - if you ask nicely." A woman suddenly walked past, dressed in fine emerald clothing. He extended his hat towards her. "Spare change for a hungry old man?"

She stopped in her step, looked at the three of us with sympathy, and then smiled reaching in the bag at her side. "Aww, here you go."

She tossed it in the hat with the others, and Iroh beamed with gratitude. "The coin is appreciated, but not as much as your smile." She giggled and continued with her business.

Zuko groaned and slapped his forehead with his palm. I smiled at the familiar gesture. Sokka would do that often when Katara used to get in trouble back at home. I lifted up the tip of his hat to get a better view of his face. He looked down at me with question.

"You and my brother might actually get along."

He was surprised and looked at me puzzled.

"You two are very similar."

He grimaced. "I doubt that."

I smiled. "One day you may find I'm right."

Footsteps suddenly approached, and a scraggly looking man with some broadswords stepped towards us. He looked at the three of us with a smirk. His eyes landed on me the longest, and I shrunk a bit against Zuko. He was a very tall and lean man, with the kind of beard and side-burns that reminded me of Zhao. He looked as shady as him too.

"How about some entertainment in exchange for..." He held up a gold piece suddenly in his hand, and Iroh perked up eager for the coin. "A gold piece."

Zuko scowled, pulling from me and crossing his arms in irritation. "We're not performers."

Iroh quickly shot his nephew down. "Not professional, anyway." He stood up and prepared to sing:

"It's a long, long way to Ba-Sing-Se,

but the girls in the city they look soo prett-ay!"

The man cut Iroh off looking displeased. "Come on! We're talking a gold piece here! Let's see some action!"

A gasp escaped me when I saw the man yank out his two broadswords. Zuko growled beside me. As Iroh started to sing again, the man hit the sharp tip of his broadsword in a rhythm towards Iroh's feet forcing the old man to dance.

"And they kiss so sweet that you've really got to meet the girls from Ba-Sing-Se!"

"More!" The sadistic man ordered. "That was too short!"

I scowled. Tearing my hat off and standing up, I snapped, "Forget it! You can't keep on bullying him like this! Keep your damn gold piece!"

The man was surprised by my words, but then to my shock he looked amused. "I like your spunk beautiful. How's about _you_ sing for me and…" he pulled two more gold pieces from his pocket. "These other babies are yours."

Crossing my arms, I went to argue but stopped. I knew we could really use the money… Zan needed some feed, and we needed food. With a heavy sigh, I dropped my arms to the side. Zuko stood and went to argue, but I placed a hand on his shoulder letting him know it was okay.

"Fine… Just keep your end of the deal." He grinned and nodded in agreement. With defeat, I sang the sea shanty my father taught me a long time ago:

"The ships sailed away on a cold cold day

Headed to a land that is very far away.

If they ever do return then a blessing that will be

Because, for years they have been afar at sea.

But where have they gone, asked the small warrior boy

And his father answered, son they have gone to find us joy.

The land which they have gone is free of war and pain

And once it is found it will be for all our gain."

When I finished, I wasn't surprised to find I'd gathered a crowd of pedestrians. Children giggled at my shanty, others applauded, and more people tossed coins into the hat on the ground. The man with the broadswords smirked and nodded in approval. He tossed the money down in front of Iroh, and said to me, "Now that was entertainment."

Zuko scowled from where he still stood beside me. "Alright… You got your show. Move on." The other pedestrians had moved along, but the man still stood. He had sheathed his broadswords and stepped towards Zuko to size him up.

"You got a problem boy?"

Zuko clenched his jaw. "Yeah. Get out of my face."

He smirked. "Tough guy, huh? Trying to be tough for your girlfriend. How's about I show her a real ma-"

"Hey! Move along! Leave these travelers alone," a familiar voice suddenly spoke. Time seemed to stop. I looked over in surprise. My eyes widened in utter amazement and also horror at the man I saw.

 _"_ _Kona! Go grab me the bowl of water! Her fever's come back," Kieda ordered, tucking the covers back under my shivering body. My face pulsed in pain, and I whimpered as another chill coursed through me. The petite woman with burgundy hair and aqua eyes smiled weakly at me. "Don't worry sweetie… Your body's just fighting off the infection still. You'll be back to yourself in no time."_

 _"_ _Here!" A young man's voice spoke through the hut I'd been in since I'd woken up three days ago. When he came over, I saw he had dark blue eyes like his father and brother, but the hair tint of his mother. "Do you want me to go get Areto? Or I could go find Hanna?"_

 _She shook her head. "No. Areto's out with some of the younger warriors training, and Hanna's with her fiancé. Stay here with Crystal while I go get her grandmother."_

 _Kona obeyed, taking the spot where his mother had been kneeling beside me. She left the hut swiftly. As she was gone, the eighteen-year-old young man who looked like an older version of his brother Areto dabbed at my sweat covered face. He was careful not to press against any of the blistered skin for fear of causing me pain._

 _It had been difficult to speak since I woke from my trauma, but I managed to choke out, "Dad… Where's my dad?"_

 _Kona was surprised when I spoke. He hadn't heard me speak for over three weeks. He smiled kindly. "He's at a council meeting. Things have been pretty hectic since the Fire Nation attacked... My father's there with him. I'm sure he'll catch us up when he gets back for dinner."_

 _I grimaced as another sharp pain shot through my skin. "I want daddy…" Tears started to fall. "I want him…"_

 _He sighed, brushing a strand of sweat drenched hair from my face. "Chief Hakoda will arrive soon… You need to rest though, kiddo."_

 _"_ _Mommy's dead," I suddenly choked out. "She's dead Kona."_

 _He frowned, and then gently stroked my hair. "Your mother died protecting you... She wouldn't want you to be upset." He pulled his hand away. "You need to focus on your health right now. Your father and grandmother are worried about you."_

 _I coughed suddenly, and then a harsh shiver ran through me. He placed the rag back on my face trying to soothe my aches and pains. "Katara… Sokka… Are they okay…?"_

 _"Yeah..._ _They're safe. Your grandmother's been keeping an eye on them. We'll let them see you tomorrow."_

 _My eyes drooped, and I sunk back on my mat in pain and exhaustion. "Good… I'm glad their okay…"_

"Thank you, kind sir," Iroh suddenly said to the man approaching us. The broadsword man had stomped off and around the corner with a scowl. "We owe you for your assistance."

My eyes looked at Kona with utter bewilderment. He didn't look much different from when I last saw him three years ago. His hair was a little longer, which he kept tied back in a low hanging ponytail. He also appeared stronger, and had some battle scars adorning his tan skin. His dark blue eyes were no different as they bore holes into my own. He knew who I was, and he was astonished to see me as well. He was wearing some earth kingdom clothing, and I assumed he was in disguise.

"My pleasure. I saw you all could use the help." He stepped toward me then. "You sang that a little slow. You still have the best voice in the whole tribe though."

I grimaced at his acknowledgement, and Zuko looked between the two of us with amazement. "Wait… You two know each other?"

My heart began to pound hard in my chest. Blood rushed through my ears. I'm certain word had reached the warriors by now about my treachery. Kona probably knew who these two travelers were.

"What are you doing here, Crystal?" He completely ignored Zuko's question. "How did you escape that Fire Nation Prince? Are your brother and sister here? Who are these two travelers?"

My mouth dropped. So the Northern Water Tribe hadn't spread word about my treachery?!

"Kona… Wha- is dad here?"

He shook his head. "No. I was sent on a mission through the Earth Kingdom to deliver a message to Ba Sing Se. I'm headed back to the troops now. It's a good two week trip from here. We should start to head there before the troops worry."

He suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Zuko and Iroh. Zuko quickly stepped forward grabbing my other arm to stop him. "Hey! Let her go! Who do you think you are?!"

Kona was stunned by the sudden stranger gripping at my flesh, and then scowled. "I'm Kona! Chief Hakoda's second lieutenant! I don't know who you are, but this girl is coming with me. She means too much to my family and tribe."

Zuko grit his teeth. "I don't care. She means too much to me."

"And who are you?" Kona tried to jerk me away from him. "Why is she your concern, kid?"

I was jerked back to Zuko. "That doesn't matter. Let her go."

"I'm delivering this girl to her father. You let her go!"

"Both of you let me go!"

The two of them released me at my shout. When I was free, I jerked away from the both of them. Crossing my arms, I said to the young man I'd known as a child, "I'm fine, Kona. I escaped the Fire Nation and I'm headed back to the South Pole. I don't need to go back to father. I need to get to Gran Gran." I wasn't being a hundred percent honest, but I didn't want to give away to Kona who my companions were.

"We'll get you back home," Kona promised. "Your father was planning on sending a fleet back anyway to check on the women and children. Areto will be more than happy to escort you."

At the name Areto, both Zuko and I grimaced. Zuko then stepped in again. "My uncle and I promised to keep her safe. We'll get her where she belongs."

"She belongs back with the Water Tribe warriors," Kona snapped. "Not with a couple of strangers."

Zuko growled. "You can't decide for her."

My heart began to pound sharp in my chest. I knew no matter what I couldn't go back to my father. Kona may not know of my treachery, but I was certain my father and the other warriors had heard by now. I'd be punished for treason as soon as I was brought to my father and his men.

"Kona… I want to travel with Lee and his uncle. They've taken care of me for the last month now."

The man who I'd known my whole life, narrowed his eyes at me. Iroh stepped forward finally, promising, "We'll take good care of her, sir. She's in very caring hands."

Kona's eyes darted between both Zuko and Iroh. His eyes landed on Zuko's scar then, and my eyes widened in horror when recognition shot across his face. He didn't try to hide that he knew Zuko's true identity. Abruptly, he jerked a knife out of his belt and pointed it at Zuko's chest. I gasped and jumped forward grabbing at his arm.

"Kona! Stop!"

People had stopped walking, and were watching the scene before them in horror and amusement.

Indifferent, Zuko ignored his threat and reached for my hand. I quickly went to take it, but Kona grabbed my arm and forced me behind him. I gasped at the forceful pull. "I don't know what's going on between all of you, but it ends now." His voice was low and venomous. "I know who you are you Fire Nation swine. Your scar just told me… you no longer have a hold on her. I'm going to make sure you don't ever see her again."

"You can't make that decision for her," Zuko spat. His fists tightened as he resisted the urge to burn Kona. "She should have the right to choose."

Kona's grip on my arm tightened. "She wouldn't choose a filthy firebender like yourself. And as her future brother-in-law, I _can_ decide for her."

Silence filled the air for a moment. My arm ached at the grip that restrained it. Zuko's fists tightened more. "What makes you think you'll be her future brother-in-law?" He stepped forward, closer to the sharp knife. "Did you ever ask her if that's what she wants?"

"She doesn't know what she wants! Her father knows what's best for her. The whole tribe agrees with the match."

My eyes widened. What? The whole tribe agreed?

"Yeah… Well I don't," Zuko hissed. "No one should force her to marry someone she doesn't love."

My heart fluttered at Zuko's defense. I smiled at the sincerity in his words.

"The Chief of the tribe has spoken. Crystal respects her father and will do as he desires. I know her better than you do! She's always been obedient to her father!"

This time I was irritated. "Hey! I'm not some submissive toy, Kona! I already told father I will decide for myself!"

Kona darted his eyes back to me, appalled by my sudden refusal. "What's gotten into you?! There's nothing to decide. Areto and you are made for each other."

"You're wrong. I don't see him as anything more than a brother! I love someone else!"

A pregnant pause fell over the air. Then realization came to the knife bearing man. His mouth dropped as he understood. "No… You can't mean… You love this…" His face twisted into sudden fury. His eyes shot towards Zuko. "I will not allow such a treacherous notion!" He went to lunge his knife at Zuko. Panic rushed through me.

"Kona! NO!" Reaching forward, I grabbed right at the knife. My hand tightened around the sharp bone and a piercing burn shot through my skin.

Zuko's eyes widened in terror. Iroh shouted my name. Blood began to stain the sharpened bone knife as I held on tight to it. Zuko had stepped back to avoid the lunge, and Iroh had grabbed Kona's wrist to stop him.

"Crystal! What are you doing?!" Kona released the knife when he saw what I'd done, which I immediately dropped to the dirt. The slice in my hand was deep and blood soaked into my skin. My heart pounded in my ears, and everything seemed to turn into a blur. There were shouts in the background, but I saw my vision become distorted. The hot searing pain was blinding.

My body was suddenly lifted from the earth and I was placed down on something soft. My focus returned, and I saw Zuko was kneeling in front of me anxiously pressing something to my wound. My back was against Zan and blood was staining the mat under my hand.

Kona stood behind Zuko and looked both bewildered and outraged. "Why would you do that? Are you crazy?!"

My head rushed, but I managed to gather myself. Through gritted teeth, I snapped, "Me crazy? You're crazy! You can't just go around stabbing at people!" Zuko pressed down too hard, and I gasped trying to jerk from him. He held my wrist firm so I wouldn't escape.

"You should've let me! I know who he is! Why would you defend him? He's your captor!"

Iroh spoke up, stepping between Kona and us. "Please quiet down sir. We have an audience."

He scowled. "You think I care! You're lucky I haven't turned you over to the authorities."

I grit my teeth. He had just threatened Iroh. Zuko left the cloth over my wound and stood to intimidate Kona. "Leave us alone," he ordered. "She doesn't want to go with you."

"She doesn't have a choice!"

Tears burned in my eyes, and slid down my cheeks. "Kona! Leave!"

His eyes widened at my sudden order. "What's gotten into you, Crystal?! You're smarter than this! What would Areto and your father say?!"

My head was heavy from the loss of blood and pain, but I found my balance and stood. Trying to shove away the guilt, I stepped over to Zuko. The cloth in my hand was soaked, but I held firm to it as I prepared to do the craziest thing in the world.

"I'm tired of being told what to do… I'm tired of having my future planned out for me. I don't love Areto. I don't care what father wants for me! I'm not some Chief's daughter that can be sold to the highest bidder! I'm not a little girl anymore!"

"This is treachery! What would your family think?! You're dishonoring your father by doing this!"

I stood strong. "I don't care. You can tell father about my betrayal all you want… I'm not going anywhere."

Kona scowled. He bent down and picked up the knife from the ground. Stepping back, he sheathed it but held firm to the handle. "Your father will hear about this… He will be very disappointed in you."

My voice fell softer. Pain shot through my heart. With a heavy spirit, I admitted, "He was disappointed in me a long time ago… This will make no difference."

Kona let out a huff. His eyes shot to Zuko with rage. "This isn't over you Fire Nation _pest_. The tribe will have her back! I don't know what mind trick you're playing on her, but it will end soon!" Twisting on his heel, he stomped way from us all. As he headed through the town, past onlookers who were watching the scene with confusion and curiosity, I watched him go with shock. Had I really just done that? Had I just admitted I was a traitor?

"We need to pack up and leave," Iroh said behind me. "There's not telling if that man will turn us in or not." As Iroh began to pack up our belongings, I continued to stare at the spot where Kona had faded into the crowd.

 _"_ _Your father will hear about this… He will be very disappointed in you."_

 _"_ _He was disappointed in me a long time ago… This will make no difference."_

A hand suddenly rested on my shoulder. The warmth was reassuring. "Crystal… Come on. We should go." Zuko turned me so I was no longer gazing at the spot Kona had disappeared. My eyes met his. He looked concerned, probably because I was still bleeding. "We'll get you to some water so you can heal."

A few minutes later we were on Zan and headed away from the Earth Kingdom town. Iroh had bought some supplies with the money we gathered, and even bought some bandages to mend my hand more efficiently. As we headed away from the possibility of being captured by Earth Kingdom soldiers, I felt my body sink into exhaustion. The heat, lack of food and water, confrontation with Kona, and bleeding constantly was beginning to strain what little strength I had left. My eyes drooped and I had trouble staying awake. I was currently holding onto Zuko's waist as the three of us traveled, and Iroh sat behind me humming a soft tune. His tune was the last strain of my strength.

My eyes shut and the next thing I knew my body leaned forward slumping into something warm. Then unconsciousness took me away.

When I came to sometime later, I found I was no longer on Zan but lying on a soft blanket. Looking around, I noticed I was outside and the sky was dark. A figure slept a few feet from me, and I made out it was Iroh. Zan slept by the dying fire. Zuko was nowhere to be seen. Sitting up, I grimaced as my hand pulsed from the cut I'd been _blessed_ with.

Leaving my mat, I slowly made my way over to a pouch of water by the fire. As I did, I took off my bandage and gasped as the movement sent sharp pains across my skin. My limbs shook from exhaustion, and my stomach growled from hunger. When I reached the pouch, I grabbed it and used my teeth to pull the cap off. Taking a few gulps down to quench my thirst, I then placed the pouch back down and pulled some water out of it. With my good hand, I let the water rest on my injured palm. The liquid soaked into my skin, causing a stabbing pain at first but then easing the pulse. As the water glowed blue, I felt the molecules settle on my injury and begin to repair the damaged skin. The pain slowly eased through the healing.

"You should be asleep," a voice suddenly spoke behind me.

I dropped the water in surprise, and turned to Zuko with a pounding heart. "Don't sneak up on me like that… You scared me…" My voice faded as I took in Zuko's appearance. He wore all black, and in his hand was a cloth sack that looked filled to the brim. On his back, tied by some rope to his body, I saw some dual broadswords. They were most likely the recent possession of the man from earlier.

"You hungry? I went back to town and got a few things." He stepped over and dropped the bag. Then he sat down and opened it rummaging through.

I knew the truth behind those words. Zuko had stolen every single thing in that bag. I didn't comment, and instead sat down across from him. He pulled out some fruit and passed a few over to me. I took one up with my good hand, and immediately bit down to fill my hunger. The two of us ate in silence, and I could sense Zuko's gaze on me. My eyes stayed planted to the fruit in my hand.

"How are you feeling?" Zuko's question came out of the blue. "You passed out pretty hard… Uncle said it was from exhaustion and blood loss…"

Letting out a deep exhale, I answered, "Better… It was a long day. I guess I was worn out from it all."

A brief pause fell over us as Zuko searched for his next words. A few minutes later, Zuko spoke again. "I didn't get to ask you… Everything back in town happened so fast… Who was that guy?"

Cringing, I placed my half eaten fruit down. "His name's Kona… He's Areto's older brother. When I was injured after the Fire Nation attacked us, Kona would sit with me when no one else could. He's a good man… War's just turned many people sour… I'm sorry he tried to hurt you."

Zuko smiled weakly. "I think he did more damage to you than myself." Zuko held his hand out towards me, and I willingly placed my scarred hand in his palm. "I see you healed the majority of it though."

"It will leave a scar," I stated. "But I guess I can come up with a cool story for it now."

He shot me an inquiring glance. "What would that be?"

I smiled. "I could say I wrestled with a Goose Grizzly."

He released my hand with a small laugh. "Yeah… Because you'd walk away from that with just a scratch. Great story."

"Sokka and Katara are pretty gullible. I could get them to believe me."

"You've never seen a Goose Grizzly," Zuko said, picking up a piece of Black Cherry from his pile. "What happens if they ask for a description?"

A playful smirk came on my face. "What do you think I read in those books Iroh loaned me?"

Zuko and I chatted softly for a few more hours, both of us not wanting to wake Iroh. Eventually Zuko decided to crawl on his mat and get some shut eye. As he and Iroh slept through the night, I decided I wasn't tired and went to go find more firewood for the morning. I didn't stray far from camp, knowing I was unfamiliar with this part of the woods. As I found good pieces of wood to feed the morning fire, I had no clue I had an audience until it was too late.

A twig snapped behind me, and I gasped turning in shock. The dark silhouette of a man stood before me, and the only thing I could make out was his outfit covered everything but his eyes. He said nothing as he reached for me. In a panic, I dropped my pieces of wood causing them to clatter on the ground between us. Turning sharply, I went to run but only smashed into another man. This one placed a hand over my mouth quickly and turned me so my back was against his chest. I screamed through his hand, but it was muffled.

"Sorry Crys… But I'm not going to your father without you," Kona whispered in my ear. "He'd skin me if he found out I left you with the enemy. We're going to talk some sense into you."

While he covered my mouth, I sensed the water that sat in a creek nearby. As his buddy stepped forward with some rope lit by the moon, I knew I had to be quick. Jerking my hand up, I brought the water from the stream toward me. The water flew past the side of my head and hit Kona in the face.

He cried out as the cold liquid went into his eyes. His hand released my mouth, and his other lost its grip on my body. I let out a scream as soon as I was free. The other man ran forward though and shoved his hand on my mouth too. He grabbed the necklace around my neck as I struggled to escape him. The metal of the chain dug into my skin, but I ignored the pain. Trying to jerk away from him, the chain broke and my eyes widened as Zuko's gift was left dangling from the strangers hold.

My blood boiled. Taking up some more water, I went to crash it at the man but was stopped mid-attack. My wrists were restrained and jerked behind me by Kona. His pal still had a hand over my mouth. I tried to kick back at the man who was once my friend, but he dodged easily.

"Hand me the rope, Jaka."

Kona's words made my eyes fly open. Jaka?! My cousin Jaka?! He was twelve years older than Sokka and I, but before the warriors left for battle he'd helped my parents out in keeping an eye on my sister, brother, and myself. He was the son of my mother's older sister, a woman named Kina who hadn't spoken to me since my mother's death.

As Jaka handed over the rope, Kona let go of one of my hands to take it. As he did so, I used my free hand to punch forward at my cousin. He easily kept one hand on my mouth, dropped my necklace, and grabbed my hand with a tight grip.

Somehow the two of them managed to tie my hands back. When I was restrained, Kona took a scratchy piece of rag and shoved it in my mouth to keep me from screaming. I struggled and kicked back at him but to no avail. He managed to keep the rag in my mouth by tying a strip of cloth from my mouth behind my head. My body was sore from the confrontation, but I tried not to give up. I knew Zuko and Iroh were sleeping, and I had to alert them somehow.

"Kona," my cousin's familiar voice spoke. "We have to go. The others should be headed to the meeting spot by now."

My eyes widened. The others! How many other warriors did Kona have with him? I thought he was traveling to Ba Sing Se alone in disguise!

Screaming as much as I could through my gag, I kicked harder than I ever had before. "Man… You were right… She's completely lost her senses," Jaka muttered. "What did those beasts do to her?"

"We'll figure that out later." Kona said, grunting at the end when I kicked him in the shin. "Let's go before they wake up and realize she's missing."

"We should just kill them," Jaka suddenly suggested. "They are the enemy." My eyes widened in terror.

Kona answered, "No. We can't kill two men disguised as innocent travelers. If word got out the Water Tribe killed them we'd be in a lot of trouble. Chief Hakoda would have our necks if we killed in such a brutal way."

Jaka scowled. "Fine… It's not like they're much of a threat out in the woods on their own anyway. Let's g-"

I took a kick at Jaka and hit him hard in the stomach. He gasped, tripped over my dropped pile of twigs, and fell back on the ground in shock. Kona let out a heavy sigh from behind me, and the next thing I knew I was tripped up and shoved on the ground. Kona knelt beside me, his hand pressing down on my back as my face lay flat against the dirt.

"Hand me the rest of your rope," Kona ordered. "I guess we'll have to carry her."

My feet were suddenly restrained and rope was tied around my ankles. I screamed as loud as I could through the gag, but to no avail. As Kona lifted me from the dirt and managed to maneuver my bound body over his shoulder, I looked back towards the direction of the campsite with agony. My eyes then scanned the dirt which was lit by the moonlit sky. My crystal necklace sat in the dirt, the chain most likely broke around it.

"Don't worry, Crys," Jaka said softly. "We'll get you home. Your free from those Fire Nation monsters."

A tear fell as I struggled on Kona's shoulder. Another muffled scream came from me.

I didn't want to go home… I didn't want to be torn from my companions… I didn't want to leave Zuko...

Kona started walking through the woods, away from Iroh and the young man I loved. A sob escaped me as I dropped my head in agony.

I didn't want to go home… I didn't want to see the disappointment on my people's face… I didn't want to go back to living on a lonely piece of ice, having my life planned out for me, and being seen as the weak girl who couldn't save her mother. I wanted to choose my own path and be free!

A sudden feeling built inside me. My body heated up as anger flowed through my blood. My eyes narrowed as I stared at Jaka who was following behind us. I was tired of being told what to do by the men of my tribe. As soon as I got the chance, I'd show these two guys just how strong and determined I was to choose for myself.


	24. Forbidden Romance

**Chapter 24: Forbidden Romance**

 **Zuko POV**

The moment you wake up and just know something's wrong has only happened once to me. When my mother disappeared, I'd woken up the next morning with an intense pain in my stomach. So when I felt that familiar pain as I woke up and found Crystal's bed mat empty, I knew once again something was very wrong. Getting off my mat, I looked around the campsite wondering if maybe I just wasn't noticing her. The ostrich-horse she named Zan was standing by some brush munching on some grass, but she wasn't with him. The fire was dead, and I then wondered if maybe she'd gone to find some firewood.

Leaving Uncle to sleep, I headed into the forest searching around for Crystal. I called out to her a few times, but there was never an answer. I went downhill towards the creek I saw the other day, wondering if maybe she was practicing her bending. However, the only thing I found at the creek was a beaver-coon who darted away from me. My panic accelerated as I continued my search and found no trace of her.

It wasn't like her to run off. She made it clear the other day she didn't want to go home. She'd told me she wasn't ready to face her family and be ostracized by them. She told me she was enjoying me and Iroh's company too much to want to leave. She loved me too much to abandon me.

Blood pounded in my ears as I continued to pace through the woods searching for her. Something wasn't right. She wouldn't leave without saying anything. I ran a hand through my messy hair trying to calm my worry but failing dreadfully. It was when my foot crunched on a twig that I looked at the ground and found a familiar jewel shimmer in the sunlight. The twig I stepped on had once been in a pile, but the pile was scattered as if it had been dropped.

Reaching down, I picked up the crystal gem watching as the broken pieces of the chain fell back to the ground. My eyes looked over the dirt where I could tell immediately there were three different sets of footprints. A scuffle had occurred. Searching for more clues, I suddenly spotted something laying in the dirt a few feet away. Walking over, my eyes widened as a familiar knife with a blue handle was left abandoned. The knife was a sharpened bone of some aquatic animal I assumed.

Picking it up, I felt my blood boil. That guy from early… Kona! He'd come to force Crystal home!

Turning on my heel, I rushed back towards Uncle and the campsite. When I arrived I saw Uncle was already awake and getting some breakfast together.

"Uncle! We have to go! We can't let them get away!"

Iroh was astounded by my frantic voice. "Prince Zuko? What on earth are you talking about?!"

"He took her! That Water Tribe guy took her!"

My eagerness was met by a look of surprise from my Uncle. Then, to my bewilderment, the old man hung his head in defeat. "I feared this might happen… Looks like they're desperate to return her home then…" He placed some fruit in a bowl. "Perhaps it's for the best… Crystal needs to be safe with her family and not out in the wild with Azula chasing us."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "What? You're happy she's been taken?!"

Iroh grimaced. He turned toward me with a frown. "Of course I'm not happy… I just don't want Crystal to get hurt, Prince Zuko. She's already betrayed her people enough helping us. It's time she starts worrying about her own future."

My fist tightened. "Her future is with me."

Iroh shook his head. "Zuko… The only way you and that girl can ever be together is if you both join the same side of this war. As much as I know you two love each other, as long as your enemies there will never be a true future for the both of you. Your families will keep you apart."

I felt my heart sink. "What are you saying…? I should just let her go…?

He shook his head, and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "No. I'm saying you need to choose what you truly want. If you continue to pursue the Avatar, you know Crystal will fight against you."

I hung my head. "If I choose to join the other side of the war though, I will truly betray the Fire Nation."

"But you could be a hero," Iroh spoke softly. "Joining the Avatar and his friends will give you more honor than you realize."

Shaking my head, I jerked from my Uncle. I couldn't betray my father. I couldn't join the one kid I'd been trying to capture for months. My heart thudded in my chest though as I contemplated what Iroh was suggesting. The gem in my hand was warm as I pictured Crystal.

"The nations that still stand against your father will find the strength to defeat him. With the Avatar on their side, Fire Lord Ozai has no hope in slaughtering the enemy. Why do you think there was an order to destroy all of the airbenders a hundred years ago? It's because your great-grandfather Sozin knew the Avatar would be his end. The young airbender Crystal's family is journeying with is the key to ending this one-hundred-year war. I believe if you continue to fight for your father you will be on the losing side, Prince Zuko. You will not just lose your honor, birthright, and throne… You will lose the girl you love as well."

My eyes widened at what Iroh spoke. He believed the Fire Nation would lose?

I shook my head. "The way you speak is treason!"

He shook his head. "I'm just a man with many regrets. I desire to teach you the truth before you lose the one you love. I believed the war was something of honor, and I encouraged Lu Ten to join the battle. My son didn't have to go to war, but he did so in order to make myself and Sozin proud. If I hadn't been so confident the Fire Nation could win and achieve world domination, I wouldn't have sent my son out into battle. However, I believed we would finally take down Ba Sing Se and win the war. In the end I lost my honor, my pride, and my only son… I speak no treason, Prince Zuko… I speak as a father who doesn't want to see another son hurt by the Fire Nation's greed."

My mouth hung open as I couldn't find the words to say.

"There are other ways to earn honor, my nephew. One way is doing the right thing."

Shutting my eyes, I felt my orbs burn as tears threatened to spill. What was wrong with me? All my life I'd wanted nothing more than to earn my father's love and honor. However, that all changed when I met Crystal. As I started to see how amazing and special she was inside and out, I stopped caring about my father's approval and desired for her approval. I hadn't even thought about home much since we'd run from Azula. All I could think about, was how Crystal made me feel something I hadn't felt since my mom died: Love.

Crystal loved me… She cared about me… She didn't see me for my scar, my past, or title. She saw me for myself. I was just Zuko to her, and I loved her for that.

"I'm going to get her back…" I softly stated. "I saw footprints. I know which direction their headed."

Iroh let out a heavy sigh and nodded. "Very well… You should go without me. I'll just slow you down. Take Zan too. I'll start journeying east from here and head towards Ba Sing Se. We'll meet up at the city if we don't cross paths before then."

Nodding, I walked over to the bag by my mat. Digging in, I pulled out my blue spirit mask and stared down at the monstrous disguise. My eyes narrowed as I gazed into the eyes of my mask. "I'm coming, Crystal… Just hang on."

 **Crystal POV**

"This is the meeting spot," Jaka said, dropping his bag beside a stone jutting out of the earth. The sun had risen an hour before, and my body was sore from being carried like a sack. Jaka and Kona had taken turns, deciding it was best not to trust that I wouldn't run if they made me walk. From the sunlight, I could finally see my cousin. He had also taken off his dark blue head covering which allowed me to see him in full.

Jaka looked much stronger and older than when I last saw him. He still kept his dark brown hair in a messy style, and he had a new battle scar above his brow. His playful nature was long gone though. He used to have a spark in his dark eyes, but as I gazed into them I could see the spark had died from being away from home so long.

"The others should be here in a few hours," Kona stated. "We should get some rest before they arrive."

Suddenly I was forced off of Kona's shoulder, and he carefully placed me down on the dirt. My back was pressed against a tree trunk, which allowed me to glare daggers at my two captors. They avoided my gaze as they sat down taking in breaths from their six-hour trek.

Jaka grabbed a canteen from a cloth sack he'd currently dropped. "How did the Earth King respond to the message?"

A heavy breath escaped Kona. "I didn't get a meeting with the Earth King. Turns out no one gets to the Earth King. All messages are received by his right hand man."

Jaka took a sip of his water, and continued to pry. "So what did his right hand man say?"

"We have permission to make base at Chameleon Bay as long as we don't interfere with Earth Kingdom ships making passage to the city," Kona answered, taking a swig of his own water. "I explained to the guy that all we want is to take down the Fire Nation swine. He seemed pleased that he wouldn't have to send his own men to do it. He also stated that as long as we don't make a commotion we can stay as long as we desire."

As the two men chatted away, I felt behind me at the tree I was leaning against. My hands were bound tight, but that didn't mean I couldn't maneuver to something sharp to cut with. As my skin grazed against a hard piece of wood, I smiled behind my gag. Moving the rope against the sharp piece of wood, I began to cut through the rope as inconspicuous as I could.

"Take the gag off of her already," Jaka suddenly said. "It looks ridiculous."

I stopped cutting at my rope, and my eyes shot over to Kona who let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah… Probably should."

Kona stood and stepped over to me. He knelt beside me and untied the strip of cloth from behind my head. Then he helped me take the rag out of my mouth which felt like nothing but sand. When my mouth was free, Kona offered some water which I eagerly accepted. I drink it eagerly, and then jerked my head away when I was done.

"Okay, Crys… If you promise not to create a ruckus, I'll leave the gag off."

For the first time in hours, I finally found my voice. "Who am I going to call for?" I glared at Kona. "You ripped me away from my friends."

Jaka scowled. Standing, he stepped over to me. "Friends? What's gotten into you? That was Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation wasn't it?"

My eyes darted to my cousin with equal irritation. "So what if he was… He can still be my friend."

He scoffed. "The Fire Lord's son?! The dude who kidnapped you from home and took you miles out to sea?! How can you be friends with your enemy?" Jaka knelt in front of me, grabbing my chin to force me to meet his gaze. "Come on, Crystal. I know you. You're the little girl back at the Water Tribe who was ruthlessly burned by the Fire Nation and scarred for life! You wouldn't become friends with the very people that ruined your life!"

I grit my teeth. "Zuko didn't ruin my life! He isn't the enemy! I love him!"

An awkward air fell over us as my cousin took in my words. Then he narrowed his eyes. "So Kona spoke true about your foolish fancy towards the enemy… I couldn't believe my cousin had fallen for the very monster that killed her mom and burned her face… I guess I was wrong."

"Zuko didn't burn my face! And he didn't kill my mom! He has nothing to do with any of that!"

"He's the Fire Lord's son for spirits sake! Have you lost your damn mind!"

Kona stepped over and grabbed Jaka's hand from my chin which was pulsing in pain. "Jaka! Cut it out! You'll hurt her with such a grip." As soon as his hand was free from my flesh, I looked away from the both of them feeling nothing but frustration towards my two captors. If they would just shut up and listen they could come to understand that Zuko was nothing like his people.

"I just don't get it," my cousin muttered, standing back up and taking a step away. He stared down at me with disbelief. "What did those monsters do to make you so loyal to them?"

Meeting his gaze, I stated, "They're _not_ monsters. They took care of me… They treated me with kindness and respect… Zuko even saved my life more times than I can count." My eyes burned as moisture filled them. "They're good people."

Jaka pinched the bridge of his nose. "They took you from home! They invaded the South Pole, threatened your people, tried to burn down the tribe, and kidnapped you! Bato told us everything after he heard it from your brother and sister. They're the enemy and that will never change!"

My teeth grit. Shutting my eyes, I took in a deep inhale through my nose to try and calm my irritation. Then letting the air out, I opened my eyes and spoke the very thing I'd told myself not to say. "Well it's not my fault the _enemy_ managed to invade us so easily! If you're _so_ upset about them taking me from the South Pole, _you_ should've been there to protect us!"

A silence fell over them. Both of the Water Tribe warriors stared at me with shock.

My frustration had begun to spill out and there was no stopping it. "How do you know another Fire Nation fleet hasn't invaded the South Pole yet?! You don't! And you know why?! Because you men decided it would be a load of fun to go off on your masculine warrior quest and leave our people vulnerable! You're all off playing your damn war games while our people are struggling to survive!"

Kona grimaced, and Jaka seemed disturbed by my accusations.

With a heavy breath, Kona turned to Jaka deciding to ignore me. "I guess we have a lot of work to do… It seems she sees us as the enemy now."

Jaka rubbed his brow trying to cool his frustration. "The others will be arriving soon. We'll find a way to talk sense to her when we're all together."

"Honestly…" Kona began. "I think Chief Hakoda will be our only hope."

As the two men turned and left me to try and ignore my penetrating gaze, I began to once again cut at my rope. There was no way I would let them make me face my father. I wasn't ready to receive the lecture and disappointment he was sure to give.

 **Zuko POV**

My eyes followed the treaded path as I moved Zan along through the woods. I'd already journeyed for two hours, and was amazed by the distance Crystal's kidnappers had made. I was certain they'd carried her, because I only saw two sets of footprints that were definitely not hers. The trees were thicker than before, so it took a little longer to maneuver with the giant ostrich-horse I rode on. Luckily, the two men were awful at covering their tracks. I was right on their trail.

Gripping the reins tight, I looked ahead but my mind strayed. Thoughts were on Crystal, and I shut my eyes as my heart stung with pain. I was worried about her. I was scared of losing her. As much as I wanted her to be able to see her family again, I didn't want her to leave me. She'd been stolen right from under my nose, and that very fact made me determined to get her back.

I didn't care if her people were the ones that took her… I wasn't ready to let her go…

As Zan moved forward, I let my mind take me back to our conversation last night.

 _Sitting by the dying fire, Crystal seemed to glow in the night. Her long brown hair was draped over one shoulder, and her azure eyes stared at the dark trees beside us._

 _"_ _Do you think Azula will find us?" Her voice was soft and I could sense her fear. "Do you think we're still in danger?"_

 _I frowned. "Azula's persistent… I think we're safe for now though. I haven't seen any sign of her or her men. I don't think she'd risk exposing herself to the Earth Kingdom either. These people would jump at the chance to take down the Fire Lord's daughter."_

 _"_ _Do you think they'd hurt you too, if they discovered who you really are?"_

 _"_ _Probably… I am their enemy."_

 _She hung her head. "You don't have to be though… You could become an ally." The last part was spoken softer than the rest. Her words caused my gut to twist._

 _"_ _I can't turn my back on my own nation... I have to capture the Avatar and return home. I have to regain my honor." I crossed my arms. "I will help the Fire Nation win this war."_

 _She grimaced and I saw her hand reach up to her necklace. She clutched it for comfort. "If the Fire Nation wins, what will happen to this world? What will happen to me and my family?" She looked at me with question, and I realized she wanted an answer._

 _"_ _I… I don't know… I never really thought about that." Rubbing the back of my neck, I tried not to meet her gaze. "The Fire Lord will become the supreme ruler, and everyone will follow his laws I suppose…"_

 _"_ _And if we don't?"_

 _I knew the answer, and didn't want to say it. She knew it too._

 _"_ _So if your people win this war, the rest of us will live in fear the rest of our days and become slaves."_

 _My eyes widened and shot towards her. "What? No! I-I wouldn't allow that. I'd make sure father treats everyone equally."_

 _She shook her head. "Zuko… What makes you think anything you say will persuade your father? If you had that power, you would've never been banished from the Fire Nation. The Fire Lord listens to no one but himself… To him, you're just a horsefly who he desires to crush."_

 _I felt my body heat up slightly. "Are you trying to make me upset? Because its working," I muttered._

 _"_ _No…" She suddenly placed her hand over my tightened fist, which calmed me immediately. "I'm just asking you to think about the repercussions of this war. If your people manage to take over the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe, there will be no equality. The Fire Nation will rule, and the rest of us will be forced into servitude... Or we may even be killed."_

 _I shook my head hard. "My father's cruel, but he wouldn't massacre a whole nation like his grandfather did… and that was just to kill the Avatar."_

 _She let out a heavy sigh. "Killing is wrong, no matter who the person is or the motives. Aang did nothing to your people, Zuko… He was just a kid, trying to learn how to take on his Avatar role. Now Aang is the only one of his kind. He lost the people he loved, and instead of having time to mourn he's had to run for his life from you and the rest of the Fire Nation." Tears started to fall down her cheeks. "Your father is a horrible man, Zuko… He's the reason why my mom is dead… He's the reason your mom is gone… Ozai is no different than the man that slaughtered Aang's people."_

 _My body was frozen as I took in her words. I knew as she spoke them she was right about everything._

 _"_ _I wish you could see that your nothing like him," she muttered. Her hand left my own. "I wish you would stop trying to be like him. I like you as just Zuko. You don't need your honor to be worth something in my eyes." She smiled then. "I love you just the way you are."_

Hanging my head, I gripped the reins harder as my heart tightened. I'd always thought earning back the honor I lost was what I'd always desired. However, at the palace I never felt truly loved after my mom disappeared. My father never showed an ounce of love towards me. Was it honor I wanted? Or was it love I desired?

Shutting my eyes, I felt a tear escape and trail down my cheek. Love… The thing was so foreign to me, yet it filled me with comfort. Crystal's love filled me with comfort. Reaching back, I took one of my broadswords from behind me and pulled it to my view. My eyes landed on the crystal I managed to tie to the handle with some twine.

 _"_ _I love you just the way you are."_

My hand tightened on the handle of my sword as Zan continued forward through the woods.

"Hang on Crys… I'm coming…"

 **Crystal POV**

"Hold still!"

"No!"

I kicked my feet forward as Jaka tried to tie them back together. A few moments earlier I'd ordered someone to let me relieve myself. My bladder was swelling. Kona came up with the plan to tie me to a tree by one hand, and allow me to have my other hand free. They also untied my ankles which I was thrilled about. When I was done, I saw Kona and Jaka were still facing with their backs towards me. A small thing of water sat a few feet away, and I knew I had to be quick. Using the water, I created a sharp dagger and sliced the only rope restraining me. When I was free, I took off through the woods. Sadly, I didn't make it far. Jaka had heard me take off and pursued me. Since his legs were longer, he caught up and tackled me. Kona caught back up and managed to tie my hands up with a different rope, because he discovered an hour ago that my old restraints were being sliced by the tree behind me.

As the two men were holding me down, I continued to kick at Jaka who was desperately trying to grab at my legs. "You guys are going to get it! I'm not going down without a fight! I refuse to be carried to my father like some prisoner! Let me go!"

"Jaka! Forget the rope! Help me carry her back to the meeting spot. There's some medical herbs in my bag that we can give h-"

I flung my head back and hit Kona hard in the chin. He gasped and dropped my upper body back down to the dirt ground. The impact was painful as my limbs shook against the dirt, but I kept moving. Jerking my foot back, I kicked Jaka in the stomach hard and he fell on his back. With restrained hands, I managed to find my feet and take off through the woods once again. My head was dizzy, and my vision blurred, but I kept running.

"Crystal! Get back here!"

Jaka and Kona shouted behind me, which only made me speed up faster. My breathing was heavy as I searched around me for any place to hide. My heart pounded a million times a minute as adrenaline shot through me.

Zuko… I had to get back to Zuko… He probably thought I'd left him or something. He was probably worried sick.

As I ran, I spotted a sharp point of a rock jutting out of the ground. Turning my back towards it, I quickly pressed my restraining rope against it and began to move my hands in an up and down motion. Shouts were heard in the distance, and I felt sweat bead down my forehead as I cut the rope faster. When my hands came free only a moment later, I bolted away from my pursuers again.

It seemed I ran forever, but the sound of my cousin and Kona never left me. They were determined to get me back. Just when I thought I was getting some luck, my whole body came to a stop as the ground dropped off a good thirty feet. A large stream lay below me, and the flat ground was on the other side thirty feet below. I was on a cliff, and the only way to freedom was to jump.

"Crystal! Stop!"

My eyes shot back at Kona and Jaka, who looked extremely disheveled and panicked as they clambered out of the woods. My cousin looked desperate as he held up his hands in surrender.

"Come on, Cuz… Step away from the cliff," he ordered. He took a step forward, and I placed a foot back. My heel hit the very edge. My body felt cold from fear. "Crystal… You know you can't swim. Don't do this."

Kona inched forward as my cousin spoke. I stared at the both of them, and then back down at the water. I weighed the options in my head.

"We're going to help you," Kona added. "Trust us."

I scowled. "I don't need help! How many times do I have to tell you that!"

Kona narrowed his eyes. "This is coming from the girl who's standing on a cliff!"

"Why do you care so much?" My fists tightened. "You all are wasting your time!"

"What do you mean? We're part of the same tribe! Plus, my brother wouldn't be thrilled to find out I let his future wife jump off a cliff!"

My eyes shot over to Jaka, who looked ready to jump at me if I tried to plunge to my death. Then I darted my eyes to Kona. "Im not letting you two force me to father! Tell Areto and my father that I have no desire to marry a man I don't love!"

Kona crossed his arms. "It's too late. You'll be sixteen in a few weeks. You and Areto will be wed and you'll start a family together. It's what's best for you and the tribe! Even Elder Grika agrees, and he can speak to spirits! Areto's the one for you!"

Elder Grika was a crazy old man who believed he had spiritual abilities like the Avatar. He lived away from the tribe in an isolated igloo home where people visited him for spiritual advice. The man predicted my mother would have four children. He was a liar, and therefore his words meant nothing to me.

My frustration hit its boiling point. "No! It's best for everyone _but_ me! I will decide my own path!" My fists tightened. "I'm sorry… But I can't sit still any longer! I won't let you and a bunch of other men control my life! I won't go along with some stupid arranged marriage!"

"Arranged marriage? This isn't an arranged marriage! It's common sense! Your father and my father are best friends," Kona exclaimed. "We all grew up together. It's only right our family becomes united!"

I scowled. "Then tell Areto to wait another year for Katara! I'm done trying to please everyone!"

"Crystal!" Jaka spoke up again. "You speak nonsense! You're dishonoring your people with this talk!"

I frowned. My anger cooled slightly. "I betrayed you all a long time ago… I chose to leave the North Pole with Zuko and his Uncle. I attacked our people to protect the enemy's son… I am a traitor..."

Kona was stunned. He hadn't heard about my treachery up at the North Pole. Jaka seemed surprised as well. Had no one told them?

"Wait…" Jaka sounded puzzled. "You chose to go with him? You chose to betray your own people!" My cousin was appalled. "What's gotten into you?! What would your mother say?!"

His question made me grimace. Hanging my head, I said softly, "She'd want me to be happy."

"No!" Jaka snapped. "She'd want you to protect your family!"

I scowled. "You didn't know my mom the way I did! She told me to follow my heart!"

"She meant with someone of our kind! Not some damn Fire Prince that would have our whole tribe killed in a day! Come on, cuz! Get your head together! He's the spawn of a monster!"

"You're wrong!" I glared at my cousin who gave me an equal burning gaze. "Zuko isn't his father! He's a good man! I love him!"

"Then you're a traitor!"

Kona interrupted my cousin and I. "Traitor or not… I'm taking you back to your father whether you like it or not."

"No!" I'd had it. "I won't go! I won't let you force me to do anything!"

"You don't have a choice," Kona challenged. "We're not going to the rest of the warriors wiwithout you."

I grimaced and felt my heart ache for what i was about to do. "Tell dad and the others that Im not a little girl anymore... I know what I want."

Lifting my hands, the water below suddenly shot up behind me and crashed over me. Kona and Jaka shouted and jumped to the side to avoid my attack. My water crashed to the ground hard, and I took my chance. Without hesitating, I turned and stepped off the cliff feeling air rush past me as I fell into the stream below. My eyes shut, and I took in air right before I hit the water. My whole body was quickly consumed by a freezing liquid, and I felt the push as I was pulled along with the water. As my lungs tightened, I began to drastically use the swimming techniques Zuko taught me.

Somehow I managed to surface. Breaking water, I gasped for air to relieve the tightness and burning in my lungs. As the stream carried me downhill, I treaded water to keep from going back under. My limbs burned as I fought the current, and I searched wildly for any way to get out of the stream. Rocks hit against my kicking feet from below, and sticks smacked against my upper body as they floated by.

After a few minutes of trying to swim to the side of the stream, I finally managed to grab hold of some rocks making up the side bank. My body was aching all over from the fall and swimming, but I refused to let go for fear I would find myself being carried downstream more. Catching my breath, I found the strength to hoist myself up onto dry ground.

Crawling onto the flat dirt, I breathed heavily as I tried to regain my strength. Every part of me ached, but I knew I had to keep moving. There was no telling if Kona and Jaka would come search for me. Standing with shaky limbs, I quickly headed into the trees to keep moving. The air was getting more humid as the day went on, but I didn't let the heat or exhaustion stop me. If I could just get far enough to escape, I could eventually circle back to find Zuko and Iroh.

However, I couldn't help but feel the unbearable guilt as I evaded my captors. I'd not only turned from the North Pole, but now I'd betrayed the South Pole. I was completely a traitor now, and there was no turning back.

 **Zuko POV**

Kneeling on the dirt, I held the sliced rope in my hand amazed at how strong Crystal was. A few moments earlier I'd arrived at a small clearing where I found some cloth-stitched bags sitting abandoned against a boulder. There was rope everywhere, and even some rope tied to a tree. When I examined the rope on the tree, I found it had been cut straight through. The disturbed dirt told me also that there had been a scuffle. I then returned to Zan, and moved him along to follow the footprints that had pursued a smaller set. When I found the cut rope beside a sharp rock, I knew I was in the right direction.

Dropping the rope, I hopped back on Zan and pushed him forward again. My eyes narrowed behind my mask as I felt anger begin to boil. Crystal clearly didn't want to go with these men, and yet they continued to pursue her. They wouldn't get the picture.

As if by sheer luck, the footprints led me straight to their owners. At least, two out of the three. There was the same guy from earlier named Kona, who seeing him made my blood boil. His partner was tall and mid-twenties. He looked like he was in great distress when I approached. They were both standing at the edge of a cliff, looking down below frantically. The ground around them was soaked, and I knew immediately the moisture was the work of a determined waterbender.

The new guy, who actually shared some similar features to Crystal's brother, shouted, "I have to jump in!"

Kona grabbed him before he could lunge forward. "She's downstream Jaka! We have to follow the current!"

My eyes widened. Follow the current? Scanning the ground again, I finally noticed Crystal's set of footprints. They ended at the cliff. Stepping out of the trees, I pulled out my swords ready for a fight if they wanted one. The two men heard my movement and turned towards me with surprise. They were astounded by my appearance, and quickly reached for their knives in defense. When they realized they'd left their weapons back at camp, they held up their hands in surrender.

The new guy quickly asked, "Who are you?"

I gritted my teeth. "I'm the guy who isn't leaving until you hand over Crystal!"

"There's no time for this!" Kona said, knowing immediately who I was and why I was before them. I'd been tempted to put on my mask earlier to deceive them , but I knew it would be a waste of time. "You can attack us if you want, but Crystal needs help!"

Stepping forward, I gripped my swords tight. "She wouldn't have needed help if you didn't grab her in the middle of the night!"

The other guy looked anxious and turned his head back towards the fast stream below. "Hakoda's going to kill me if his daughter ends up dead! I'm jumping in!"

I scowled. "Neither of you are going anywhere! Step away from the cliff and leave! I'll go save her!"

The man Jaka seemed displeased with my order. "I'm not letting you save my cousin so you can sweep her off her feet more. Crystal needs to get her head out of the clouds… not be saved by a pompous and heartless Fire Nation prince."

My blood heated as the two men stepped forward ready to fight me. Brandishing my swords, I prepared to do whatever it took to get Crystal back and keep her. However, I quickly realized fighting these two men would be utterly foolish. The longer I stayed with these two, the further Crystal would float away. I just hoped she had used the swimming skills I'd taught her and hadn't drowned.

"You two aren't worth my time," I muttered. "Stay away from us. Clearly Crystal has no desire to be with you." Turning on my heel, I stepped back towards the trees where Zan was waiting.

"She'll eventually realize her foolish fancy for you is impossible and come home," Jaka shouted from behind. "My cousin will remember soon who the enemy truly is!"

Ignoring him, I reached Zan and hoisted myself onto his back.

"You better not hurt her!" Kona threatened. "You've put her through enough already!"

Looking at the men, I grabbed the reins with determination. "Looks to me like you put her through more than I ever did. At least she's never jumped off a cliff to escape _me_."

The two men fell silent at my words. They knew I was right. Without wasting anymore time, I snapped Zan's reigns and took off downstream. I hoped and prayed Crystal had managed to get out of the stream and to safety.

 **Crystal POV**

My feet came to a stop, and I collapsed on my knees trying to catch my breath. My whole body shook from the cool air hitting my wet skin, and my dark hair hung heavy on my body. When I finally managed to slow my breath and calm my pounding heart, I felt my body pulse in pain from its long journey.

I suppose I deserved everything happening to me… The miserable state I was in was all payback for my treachery. I could only imagine my ancestors boxing my ears for falling in love with the enemy. Hanging my head, I shut my eyes hard as I pictured the disappointment on my family and tribe's faces. However, Zuko's face floated in front of them all and I felt my guilt ease slightly. I did love him, and that made me feel slightly more at ease knowing everything I'd done was to follow my heart.

"My goodness! You look dreadful child!"

A young female voice echoed in the air, and I looked up at the intruder with surprise. A middle-aged woman stood before me, her hands carrying an instrument which Iroh had told me was a tambourine. She wore a pretty black dress with some pink trim, and she had a hat on her head with a giant flower at the center.

"Come with me, dear. My husband Chong just made a fire you can get warm by. We're having some lunch." She held her hand out to me, and I stared at it with question.

A masculine voice suddenly began to sing in the distance. "Oooh, where is my Lily, my pretty little Lily, oh where oh where has she gone?"

She smiled widely and began to sing herself. "I am over here, my dear! You have nothing to fear! I have found a new friend whose alone!"

My eyes widened. They were seriously singing while having a conversation?

"Oh! What a joy my Lily! We must invite her for tea!" The man emerged from the trees, and my jaw dropped at his appearance. "And then we will see her off." He had a guitar in his hand and wore a robe that only covered one shoulder. His robe was yellow and blue, and he had a flower necklace on. Also he wore a strange red hat.

Lily stopped singing, and reached down taking my arm which had in no way extended towards her. She helped me off the ground, and tugged me over to her husband with a grin. "Chong! We must give her a change of clothes! She's in a terrible mess."

Looking at Lily and Chong's attire, I grimaced not wanting to wear something like them.

Chong nodded. "Right-o my flower." He held his hand out towards me. "Chong is my name, and that pretty one behind you is Lily."

I smiled weakly and took his hand. "Crystal. Nice to meet you."

He shook my hand with thrill. "Crystal! What a gnarly rare gem!"

A few minutes later I was seated in a small clearing, and sitting on a log I ate some fish that Chong, Lily, and Moku offered me. Moku was a friend of Chong and Lily, and he seemed to be the quieter of the bunch. He played music with his drum, Chong played with his guitar, and Lily played with her tambourine. I knew I needed to leave and find Zuko, but I also didn't mind taking a small break. I wondered if Zuko was searching for me... I hoped to find him soon.

 **Zuko POV**

Zan sped along the stream as I kept my eyes scanned for any sign of Crystal. I wasn't sure how far she'd been carried down, and if she managed to get out of the water I wasn't sure where she had gone. There was so much space to cover, and I began to fear I may have more trouble finding her than I expected. I'd thought she'd be with her captors, and I could fight them for her. Turned out, Crystal was a fighter. She seemed like she was able to take care of herself.

As I reached an area with rocks sticking out of the stream, I slowed Zan knowing Crystal would've at least tried to grab onto one of the obstacles if she floated by. My eyes scanned the water, the rocks, the dirt, and the forest beyond. There was no sign of her.

Concern flowed through me as I feared the worse. I'd taught her how to swim, but she wasn't an expert. What if she couldn't fight the current and was pulled under? What if she drowned?! Oh please spirits! Don't let her be dead!

My heart pounded a million times a minute as I pictured her lifeless on the bank somewhere. However, Zan whinnied and turned us away from the stream towards the forest. "What is it? Do you smell something?"

The ostrich-horse suddenly shot forward into the woods, and I grabbed the reins to keep from falling off. "Woah! Slow down!"

The beast ignored me, keeping on the path it intended. Eventually he slowed, and I was surprised at the noise I heard in the distance. Instruments played, and a familiar laugh was heard. Relief filled inside me as I heard the laughter I knew to belong to Crystal. She was safe! Zan sniffed her out!

"Good boy," I complimented, patting him on the side of his neck. "You found her."

Zan moved forward again, and I relaxed my tense muscles. A deep sigh escaped me as I felt I could finally breathe. She was okay...

 **Crystal POV**

As I sat with my new acquaintances, they told me through song the many different journeys they'd been on. I smiled enjoying their company, their kindness, and their jolly singing. Smoothing out the light blue dress with black trim Lily gave me, I ran my hand through my combed hair. Lily had pleaded to brush out and put flowers in my hair. I gave in to thank them for their kindness. I told them I couldn't stay too long, because I needed to get back to my friends. They encouraged me to stay for at least a few minutes, and so I gave in.

 _"_ _Don't fall in love with a traveling girl… She'll leave you broken hearted…"_

"Is that one an Earth Kingdom song too?"

Chong nodded towards me. "Picked that one up near Ba Sing Se! Great tune!"

"So what's your story?" Lily begged, seated beside me. "Everyone's got one!"

"My story?" I blushed. "Uh… It's actually a long story."

Moku spoke up with a small voice. "Maybe if you sing it out, it won't be so long!"

My heart skipped a beat. Make up a song in my head? I'd never done something like that before. The whole thing sounded ridiculous. I mean, I knew people in my tribe who did it often, but I wasn't skilled in that ability.

Chong beamed. "Yeah! That sounds awesome! Sing us your tale!"

"Uh… I don't know. I'm not great at making up songs in my head…"

Lily nudged me with her elbow. "You got it girly. We'll play along with you!"

My heart pounded with uncertainty. However, I wanted to give it a try. I was tired from my trek, and I decided maybe singing would calm down my nerves. Also, making up a song could be fun.

"Okay," I gave in. "I'll give it a shot…" Taking in a deep breath, I began:

 _One day I was headed out to find some fish_

 _To feed my family was my only wish_

 _But our ship went crazy on the fast paced stream_

 _And we fell onto an iceberg which still feels like a dream._

 _On that iceberg there was trapped a twelve-year old boy_

 _And he'd returned to the world to restore our joy._

 _My sister was thrilled and my brother was annoyed,_

 _But the little boy named Aang seemed greatly overjoyed._

 _However, dear Aang was forced far away_

 _When he set off a flare during some time of play._

 _I was greatly torn to see him forced to leave our home,_

 _Because there was too much wilderness for him to roam._

 _Then came the Fire Nation with their mighty ship_

 _And my brother grabbed his boomerang and knife on his hip…_

 _The ship plank came down, and my brother did attack_

 _But the enemy very easily gave him a smack._

 _Then Aang returned to us in an attempt to save the day,_

 _But I sort of got rash and stepped in the way._

 _I used my waterbending to fight off their spears,_

 _And was forced away from home with heavy tears._

 _For three months I traveled through the unknown land and sea,_

 _With a prince, a crew, and a man who loves tea._

 _And the Prince which I met was not evil, harsh, or mean,_

 _For he was one of kindness, and more love than ever seen._

 _And then something happened that I never knew could be,_

 _I fell in love with him, a prince out on the sea._

 _It felt like a fairy tale of forbidden romance,_

 _The enemy prince and chief's daughter would never have a chance._

 _However, against all odds I stayed by his side,_

 _And turned against my people joining the treacherous ride._

 _I miss my brother and sister, but must stay brave 'til the end,_

 _Because following my heart is a step around the bend._

 _I will find the man I love, and continue on my way,_

 _Because I know what I want at the end of the day."_

The three travelers stopped playing their music when my song ended, and then Chong cheered. "That was the best tune I've heard in a while, man!"

His wife beamed. "You bet! Haven't had that much fun since we sang with swamp people!"

Moku wiped a tear. "Man… Such a beautiful song."

"Love that part about Aang too," Chong stated. "Knew a little arrow dude named Aang once. Kind fellow. His friends were great too!"

My eyes widened. Shooting my gaze toward him, I asked, "You knew Aang?"

Moku spoke up. "Yes siree! Little boy with giant bison and monkey were great company! We helped them pass through the secret tunnel."

Chong beamed. "Hey! I know a song that goes with that journey!" They all started to play again:

 _"_ _Two lovers, forbidden from one another  
A war divides their people  
And a mountain divides them apart  
Built a path to be together_

...Yeah, and I forget the next couple of lines, but then it goes...

 _Secret tunnel!_  
 _Secret tunnel!_  
 _Through the mountain!_  
 _Secret, secret, secret, secret tunnel! Yeah!"_

I stared at the man with amazement, while his companions stopped their instruments and cheered. Then I asked, "The forbidden lovers… Did they ever get to be together?"

Lily jumped in. "Oh! It's a beautiful story. They spent most of their lives in those secret tunnels, meeting with one another for hours on end. When they died, their two kingdoms joined together to create Omashu! The Avatar and his girlfriend found their tomb and read the story. It's all so romantic!"

I sighed, glad the two lovers were unable to be separated. Then my eyes widened. "Girlfriend?!"

Moku answered, "Sure! Avatar's got a pretty waterbender gal. They kissed to find their way out of the tunnel!"

My jaw dropped. Katara and Aang? They were together? They kissed? My sister had fallen for the Avatar? For a moment, I felt relief. I wasn't the only child stepping away from tradition and not falling for someone of the tribe! Then reality came back to me. My situation was different… Katara was with the savior, and I was with the enemy's son. She had a much greater chance of ending up with Aang than I ever did with Zuko.

"You know… The lover story is pretty close to yours," Chong said, beginning to strum a few cords. "You and this prince are:

 _Two lovers, forbidden from one another._

 _A war, divides your people!_

 _And an ocean divides you apart!_

 _You must seek a path to be together!_

 _Forbidden love!_

 _Forbidden love!_

 _Fire and water!_

 _Forbidden, Forbidden, Forbidden, Forbidden love!"_

Lily sighed beside me. "So romantic!" She turned and grabbed my hands eagerly. "Oh Crystal! You must find your lover! You must return to him and be happy!" She yanked me into a hug, and I was stunned by her affection. "Oh! It's every girl's dream to fall in love with a prince charming!"

 _"_ _Love! Love! Love! Everybody needs love!"_ Chong sang. _"Love! Love! Love! Sing about that love!"_

"Will you shut up!"

My eyes widened. The campsite fell silent at the new presence in the clearing. Turning, I looked over at our intruder utterly amazed to see him. Zuko was holding Zan's reins, and I could tell he was exhausted from running to find me. I'd been prepared to journey back towards him. I never expected he'd actually follow and find me.

"I swear if I have to hear one more song I'm tearing my ears out!"

My heart skipped a beat. "Zuko… Ho-" I cut off as tears came to my eyes. He let go of Zan's reins and stepped over. I didn't hesitate. Getting up from my seat, I raced over to him with utter relief. He met me halfway and pulled me into his arms hugging me close to him. I was utterly relieved to be in his hold.

"How… How did you find me?"

He pressed his face into my hair, relieved that I was okay. "I've been tracking the Avatar for three years… I think I can track a girl with suicidal tendencies too."

"Hey! I'm not suicidal!" I whined, pressing my face to his chest. "I just panicked and jumped."

He pulled me tighter. His warmth was so comforting. I was so happy to see him. He softly stated, "Well your lucky Zan has a good nose. He helped me track you after your footsteps came to an end."

I felt relieved. "And you said he was a stupid animal."

Zuko sighed. "Yeah. I apologized to him on the way here."

 _"_ _Reunited at last, and they're having such a blast! Young lovers always find each other in the end!"_ Chong sang behind me.

Zuko growled and pulled from me slightly so he could meet my gaze. "Who are these annoying people?"

I smiled. "Chong, Lily, and Moku. They're performers! You should hear some of their stories Zuko! They've been everywhere!"

"Yeah, fire dude," Moku said. "Come chill with us for a few hours. You got all the time in the world for worrying about other things."

Zuko met my pleading gaze, and then shook his head. "No! Absolutely not!"

"Come on! They're so kind! They took care of me after they found me on the ground in the woods."

"And for that I'm grateful, but we need to be going," he said. He turned and hopped back onto Zan's saddle. "Come on."

with defeat, I let out a heavy breath. "Okay. One second." Looking back at the three people still seated by the fire, I bowed to them and smiled. "Thank you for your generosity! Good luck on your travels."

Lily waved. "Bye Crystal! Good luck with your forbidden romance!"

Moku shouted, "You should travel with us some the next time we meet. Your singing will be a great addition to the group!"

Chong ended with, "I'll write a great song about you two!"

Zuko sighed and stepped Zan over to me. Taking his hand, I was pulled up onto the ostrich-horse, and wrapped my arms around Zuko's waist to hold on. As Zuko moved us away from Chong, Lily, and Moku, I couldn't help but think back to the Cave-lover story again.

They got to be together… There was no reason Zuko and I couldn't be together.

"You swam," he suddenly said. "I'm glad I was able to teach you… Otherwise you'd be dead."

I hugged him tighter. "Yeah… Thanks for the lesson. I would've drowned without your help."

A silence fell over us, and I smiled enjoying his warmth. Then I spoke again. "Thanks for finding me."

He shrugged. "There was no way I was letting you disappear again… And besides… If anyone captures you it's going to be me." The last part came out as a joke.

A giggle escaped me. "I think I don't mind that."

Zan came to a stop suddenly, and Zuko turned enough to look back at me. His eyes burned into my own. "I was worried about you… I thought you were hurt, or that I'd lost you forever."

I leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Come on Zuko... You can't get rid of me that easily."

He turned forward again, and Zan began to move. "Good to know."


	25. Barren wasteland

**A/N: Hey readers! I am so sorry for the wait! This summer has been super busy! Here is the** **chapter though. I'm hoping to have the next one done as soon as I can. Thanks for your patience and understanding.**

* * *

 **Chapter 25**

My eyes stared at the river before me with agony. Zuko was still asleep by the campfire beyond the hill behind me, and I knew he wouldn't be thrilled when he woke up. Holding the handle of the engraved steel knife, I gripped it ready to do the one thing I never thought I'd do in my life. Grabbing my braid, I held it firm as I moved the sharp edge of the blade toward the middle of it.

I'd betrayed my people. I'd betrayed Kona and my cousin. I was a traitor to the Water Tribe. As much as I loved Zuko, I couldn't help but feel awful for turning my back on my people. I turned my back on my family. What would mother say? I knew she'd be happy I was following my heart, but had I gone too far?

My thoughts took me back to a few months before her death. I was sitting with her and Katara as we took a break from cleaning up breakfast.

 _My little sister pouted beside me as she poked at the snow by her feet. "Why do we have to do all the cooking?"_

 _My mother was a beautiful woman, with amazing patience and kindness. She answered calmly, "The men have to hunt for our food and protect us. They don't have time to do the things we do. Without us, men would probably starve." She winked, and I giggled. "Besides, don't you enjoy cooking Katara? You told me yesterday it was one of your favorite chores."_

 _She pouted more. "It was my favorite chore yesterday. Today it's my least favorite. I want to go catch the food! Not cook it!"_

 _My mother gave a little laugh, and then brushed her hand over Katara's hair. "You're so silly my little waterbender."_

 _"_ _I'm bored, too," Katara whined more. "I want to waterbend!"_

 _"_ _Alright… Why don't you go run along and practice then sweetie? I think I can handle the rest of the morning chores. Just be back when the sun is at the center of the sky."_

 _Katara lit up and kissed mom on the cheek. "Thanks mommy!" Then she waved to me and raced off towards the water outside of the village. She had been wanting to waterbend all day, and mom gave her the chance at last._

 _"_ _That girl…" Mom shook her head in disbelief. "Your sister is very enthusiastic somedays, and then other days I have to bribe her. What am I going to do with her?"_

 _I smiled. "That's just Katara. She'll come around one day. I think she's more focused on becoming a waterbending master than anything else."_

 _She sighed. "I know… I'm worried about her though. Your father found her a few trainers who could teach her the basics, but when she gets older she'll want to learn more advanced fighting skills. I fear she may decide to journey to the North Pole if she isn't given the proper teaching here."_

 _The thought of Katara leaving the South Pole made me sad. "She wouldn't really leave us… would she? She's our family… We're supposed to stick together."_

 _My mom placed the shirt she was mending down beside her, and then stood to make her way over to me. She sat down beside me on the log I'd perched and pulled me into her arms. "Don't worry my gem… Nothing will tear this family apart. Even if Katara does go up north, we will still always be family."_

 _"_ _You won't let her though…" I felt my heart clench. "You won't let her leave us, right?"_

 _She sighed. "Sweetie… One day we all must follow our own paths… Our hearts may lead us in a direction no one expects." She inched her head forward so her forehead met my own. "You may even find yourself journeying away from home in the future. The most important thing you need to remember is to always follow your heart, Crystal. Others may not accept the path you choose, but as long as your happy that's all that matters to me." She pulled away and stared out at a group of teenagers chatting not too far away. "One day when your older, you may have to choose a path that changes your life forever. When that time comes, I want you to listen to your heart and not others around you. Do what will make you happy, dear. Don't ever let anyone tell you what to do."_

 _I hugged my mom with uncertainty. "What if the path I choose isn't at the South Pole?"_

 _Her hand went under my chin, and she forced me to meet her gaze. "Then you still go for it, because nothing should keep you from your destiny."_

 _I placed my head against her chest feeling at peace. "What's your destiny, mommy?"_

 _She hugged me again, answering, "My destiny is right here, being the chief's wife and a mother to three of the most beautiful children in the world."_

 _A smile spread as I filled with joy from my mother's love. "I hope one day I can find someone like you did, mommy. Everyone in the village says you and dad were meant to be."_

 _"_ _You will sweetie… Whoever he is, I know he'll love you as much as your father and I do. I'm sure we'll love him too."_

 _"_ _As long as he isn't Fire Nation," a voice spoke behind us. Mom and I jumped a bit startled, and turned our heads to see father. He had just left a few minutes before to go hunting, and he looked like he'd returned because he'd forgotten something._

 _My mother stood and greeted dad with a kiss. Then she asked, "I thought you and the other men were headed out on a hunt?"_

 _My father smiled. "We were. I just forgot my spear in the rush." He stepped over to me then and knelt so he could become eye level with me. "Your mother's right, Crys… There's a wonderful young man out there ready to sweep you off your feet. In time, you'll meet him and I know you'll be pleased."_

 _My mother stepped forward, and I was surprised to see the smile on her face had disappeared. "Hakoda… Please tell me you're not still hung up on this plan of yours."_

 _He looked back at my mother. "Kya… You know it's for the best. The tribe loves the idea."_

 _Confusion swept over me. What were they talking about?_

 _My mother's eyes narrowed, and her hands went to her hips. That was never a good sign. "You mean you and the council. Did you ever think maybe your own wife doesn't agree? And what about my mother's feelings? She came to the South Pole for the very thing you're trying to do to our daughter!"_

 _Father looked back at me, and then stood turning fully to mom. "Kya… We discussed this. He's the only one-"_

 _"_ _No one said he has to be Water Tribe, Hakoda. What if it's someone from the Earth Kingdom?"_

 _"_ _It won't be," my father said. His tone turned a little sharp. I began to think I wasn't supposed to be listening to the conversation. "She's never going to step foot off the South Pole."_

 _"_ _You can't predict that. She may one day decide to travel and see the world."_

 _"_ _She won't… She'll understand her responsibility to the Tribe and her family."_

 _My mother was beginning to lose her patience and temper. I still had no clue what was going on. I watched my parents argue in great confusion. I knew the conversation was about me, but I didn't know what it had to do with._

 _"_ _So Crystal's going to be trapped here while we allow Katara up north. That doesn't seem quite fair to her."_

 _My father pinched the bridge of his nose trying to cool his anger. "We'll discuss this later. I have to get back to the hunt." He went to step around mom to head over to his spear leaning against the wall to our home._

 _Mom wasn't done. "I'm going to go speak to Kieda about this! You and Bato may have agreed, but I'm certain she will have an opinion of her own as well."_

 _Father grabbed his spear and turned back to mom. "Kieda is all for it. I spoke to her the other day. She thinks Crystal should start spending more time over at their place to get acquainted."_

 _She shook her head. "Forget it… I'm not forcing her into something of such cruelty. Mother will have my back as well." She turned and walked over to me. Grabbing my hand, she pulled me up from my log and then hugged me to her side. Her eyes stared over at my father again. "We're not the North Pole, Hakoda. Our children deserve to find love on their own like we did."_

 _Father looked over at me, and then at my mom. His tight grip on his spear lessened as he lost the desire to argue any longer. "This isn't finalized, Kya… It's just an idea. If she finds someone in the future I will change my mind. As long as he has nothing to do with the Fire Nation, I will be as accepting as I can. However, I will not drop the idea completely. In seven years she will be of age… It will be her responsibility to take on her role in the tribe. She must honor her people by doing so."_

 _"_ _Her responsibility is to follow her heart," my mother argued. "You should be proud of whatever decision she makes in the future."_

 _Father gave a heavy breath, and then began to walk away. "We'll continue this tonight, Kya… I have to go."_

 _As he headed off and disappeared behind our neighbor's home, my mother let out a deep sigh. She hugged me closer to her, and I knew she was upset. "Come on sweetie… Let's go find your brother and make sure he's not getting into trouble. Then we'll go check on Gran-Gran."_

 _As mom lead me away from home in the opposite direction of father, I looked back at him wondering what that all had been about._

 _His words returned to me: Fire Nation? Why did the Fire Nation come up in the conversation? I knew who the enemy was. I'd never associate myself with those monsters._

 _He had nothing to worry about. I would make him proud._

With pain, I went to run the blade through my hair. A hand grabbed my own suddenly, and I gasped as the knife was yanked from my grasp. My braid was still attached as I looked up at my restrainer.

Zuko took the knife from my hand, and I looked at him amazed. He stared at the knife, and then at my hair puzzled. "What are you doing?"

I grimaced and let go of my braid. I tried to pull from his grasp, and he let me. Standing to face him, I answered, "I was cutting my hair… I- I thought that I should…" My lips trembled as my heart clenched more. "You and Iroh… you cut yours when you became traitors… I- I thought I'd do it too."

His confusion swept away, and he lowered his knife to his side. Understanding fell over him, and he moved his hand to brush his thumb over a tear I hadn't even knew escaped me. "No… You're not a traitor, Crystal. You escaped your captors. There's nothing wrong with that."

I hung my head in agony. His thumb was still on my skin sending warmth through me.

"I am… I betrayed them… I told them I loved you too much to leave you… I wouldn't go with them… I turned my back on them." This time I felt tears fall. "I dishonored my father by doing so."

"Your father will forgive you," Zuko reassured. "You told me how much your family loves each other. He won't hate you for following your heart." He grabbed my chin and forced me to meet his gaze. "You once told me what family is, Crystal. You told me 'family' will love you no matter what. I understand some things now… I know Uncle is the only true family I have. He loves me and takes care of me… Your father loves you too… He'll understand…"

"No Zuko…" I shook my head and tried to pull from him. He wouldn't let me this time. "The only way he'll love me is if I follow his plans… I can't make him proud though, because I can't imagine falling in love with anyone but you." I grabbed his hand and shut my eyes hard. "He'll never understand… He'll never understand that I can't marry someone from the Water Tribe because I love you…"

He suddenly pulled from my chin and wrapped his arms around my waist. Pulling me into his body, he hugged me tight. Sinking into his warm embrace, I felt more tears fall.

"You don't know that…" Zuko whispered. He let out a heavy sigh. "I have a feeling he'll be ten times more understanding than my own father…"

I didn't know how to respond. Instead, I hugged Zuko tighter not wanting to let him go. I knew he was right about that last part, but I still had a feeling my father wouldn't be very forgiving about my treachery. He would probably be furious when Kona and Jaka reported to him about my actions.

"I- I'm sorry…" I pressed my face more into his shirt.

Zuko ran a hand through my hair to comfort me. "For what?"

"Crying," I muttered. "I feel like a wimp."

He fell silent for a moment. Then a laugh escaped him. His laugh surprised me, and I pulled away slightly to look at him in confusion. "Wha- why are you laughing?"

He smiled down at me. "You took down two muscular warriors and jumped thirty feet into a rushing stream… I think you're far from a wimp, Crys."

My eyes widened when he used my nickname. My heart warmed as I loved hearing it escape his lips. It was the first time he'd ever called me by my nickname, and I felt thrilled by it.

"You called me Crys…."

He looked surprised by his slip. "Oh… Sorry. I didn't even realize. I heard your brother say it once… I guess I liked it."

I shook my head and smiled. "No… Don't be sorry. I like it too. It sounds nice coming from you."

He seemed relieved. "Then I'll have to say it more often." He leaned down and kissed me on the lips, and I welcomed his embrace. When he pulled away, I felt as if the guilt and pain vanished and was replaced by peace. "Come on. We should pack up and move on out."

I nodded. "Okay… I'm going to wash up my face. I'll be there in a minute."

He left me, and headed back up the hill towards camp. As he went, I turned back to the stream with reassurance. Taking the tie from my braid, I undid my hair and let it fall loose around my shoulders. As the constraints of my braid left me, I felt a little better.

Reaching down, I washed off my tear stained face with some water from the stream. As I leaned forward, the water rippled in my reflection and for a moment I saw an image of my mother. The distorted reflection lasted only for a moment, and it could've been my imagination, but the image made my worries cease.

My mother was with me on this journey. She was proud of the path I had chosen.

When I returned to camp, I found Zuko had everything packed and was ready to go. As we were about to mount Zan, Zuko grabbed my hand to stop me.

"Wait… I have something for you." He suddenly turned me and moved my hair to the side. Then he placed a familiar crystal jewel on my neck which he tied onto me with some twine. "It's not the original chain, but I thought it would do until we could get a new one."

As the cool crystal rested on my skin, I felt elation at the return of my precious gift. It was the only thing I owned that had significant value. When I lost it back during my scuffle with Kona and Jaka, I felt like a piece of myself had been left with it. The jewel on my neck completed me.

Turning, I threw my arms around Zuko's neck and kissed him on the cheek to let him know what it meant to me. He hugged me in return, and I could tell he was relieved I still wanted it. I'd always want the precious gem Zuko gave me.

About an hour later we were journeying again. The trees had come to an end, and now it seemed we were journeying through nothing but barren wasteland. As we continued on for hours, I noticed Zan and Zuko both began to look exhausted. The sun beat down on all of us, and our water supply was starting to diminish.

When we reached an area with some mud, I knew my skills would come in handy. It seemed to be where a pond once stood, but most of the water was dried up by the sun. I made Zuko stop Zan, and then quickly dismounted. Zuko did so too, asking what I was doing. Without answering him, I stepped over to the mud and held my hand out toward it. Concentrating, I managed to pull some water particles out of the dirt and into the air. The water circled above in a sphere shape no bigger than my head, but it was enough to fill one canteen at least. Zuko got the picture and undid his canteen holding it out towards me. I moved the water through the air and maneuvered it into the container. He shut the lid when it was inside, and then smiled with relief.

"I'm glad you're here," he commented. "Otherwise I'd be licking the mud."

I grimaced. "That sounds awful." Turning back to the only moisture in the area, I managed to grab some more and form it into the air again. Then I moved the liquid bubble over to Zan. He lit up and stepped forward opening his beak. Then he took the water into his mouth with thirst, and when it was down his throat he seemed satisfied.

"We'll have to find him some food soon," Zuko stated. "We're running low."

"Aw… You've gotten a soft spot for Zan," I teased. "I didn't know you were an animal lover."

Zuko quickly crossed his arms and turned from me flustered. "I'm not. I just don't want him passing out while I'm on his back."

I smiled knowing the truth. "Sure, Zuko. Whatever you-"

My foot suddenly slid back in the mud and I shrieked as I fell back into the soft black mush. The mud was deeper than it appeared, so my back sunk into it slightly.

"Crystal! Are you-" Zuko stopped and looked at me as I struggled to get out of the mud. My whole back was covered, and I felt my hair was filthy as well. I tried to stand, and only slid again landing this time on my stomach. Laughter rang near me, and I looked over at Zuko with shock. Was he… was Zuko really laughing? I'd heard him laugh before, but this laugh was different. This laugh was younger and more at ease. This laugh was solely the laugh of a young man named Zuko.

Zuko covered his mouth and was hunched over as he cracked up from my appearance. When I finally found my footing, I looked down and saw my body was caked in mud from head to toe. The laughter from Zuko made me realize how ridiculous my appearance looked. I probably looked like a mud monster, because I definitely felt like one.

I wasn't sure why, but laughter escaped me too. As our laughter rang through the air, I felt for the first time in a long time like two teenagers having a blast together.

"Here," Zuko said with a grin, extending his hand out towards me. "You look like a brown glob."

Taking his hand, I smirked, "A cute brown glob though."

He rolled his eyes, but I saw him enjoying the moment. "I'll give you that."

As he tried to help me out of the mud, I couldn't resist. With a playful yank, Zuko fell forward with a yelp. He dropped in the mud beside me, his body getting covered from head to toe. He'd pulled me down during his descent, and I landed in the mud beside him. As he tried to sit up stunned by my action, I sat up breaking out into hearty laughter. He managed to get on his knees and stared at me with surprise.

"You got me filthy!" He whined like a five-year-old which made me laugh harder. He narrowed his eyes at my amusement, and then smirked. "Fine… You asked for it!" He lunged forward grabbing me around the waist. I shrieked as his fingers dug playfully into my side tickling my skin. He laughed in my ear as he tickled me, restraining me from escaping his attack.

"Stop!" I pleaded, laughing as I tried to twist from his grip.

He tickled me harder, ordering, "Only if you apologize."

I fought harder as he found the sensitive spot on my side and made me laugh harder. "Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

He stopped his attack, and I found myself breathing heavily from the endless ticklish poking. "Now I know your weakness," Zuko commented. He stood from the mud and held his hand down to me.

I took it with a pout. "That's not fair… Now I have to find your weakness."

We both clambered out of the mud, and as we did so Zuko stated, "Good luck with that."

A few hours later we found once more we were out of water. The barren waste land around us was no comfort as we searched for a source of hydration. I'd never been so thirsty in my life, apart from the time I was locked up in the cell with no water. At least in the cell the sun wasn't burning into me. Zan began to slow as he started to become exhausted from the heat. We began to fear we'd die of thirst if we didn't find water soon. Our stomachs growled as well as hunger started to overcome us.

At one point we found some travelers seated under the shade of a dead tree. There was a small fire beside them where they were cooking some food. The woman had long brown hair, and the man had chestnut hair tied in a topknot. They were a young couple, and upon further inspection I could see the woman was pregnant. Zuko reached for his broadsword, as if he were ready to rob them. I stopped him by grabbing his hand.

"No… We're doing this my way," I calmly said. Sliding off of Zan, I made my way down to the couple seeing they had tons of water beside them. Zuko slid off Zan, but stayed beside him watching me approach the young couple.

The man looked up from where he was getting some food together, and I saw him stare at my appearance with surprise. His wife looked over with question, and I could tell she was taking in my muddy appearance with uncertainty. When I got close enough, I shut my eyes tight and bowed with plea. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but we've been traveling for a very long time and have no food or water. If you have anything you could spare we'd be most appreciative."

There was silence for a moment, and then the woman asked, "How old are you, child?"

I was surprised by her question. Coming out of my bow, I answered, "Fifteen."

She was leaning against the tree, her belly swollen under her dress. She looked over at her husband with eager eyes. "We must help these young people, dear. They look exhausted."

Her husband seemed unsure, but then shrugged and stated, "We have enough to share. Bring your friend over and we'll give you some water. We're headed to a town that's only a few miles from here to meet up with my sister, so we'll be able to replenish our supplies."

I felt utter relief. Bowing again, I turned and gestured towards Zuko to come on over. He seemed astounded by my actions, and baffled that I'd managed to convince these people to share with us.

Eventually we were all seated around the fire, eating some meat from a type of bird. The man Than gave some fruit to Zan, and I saw he was happy to have some food in him. Also, all three of us were given water to quench our thirsts which we were truly thankful for. The woman Ying seemed relieved when she saw life come back to Zuko and I.

Ying rubbed her stomach as she made conversation. "So… You kids are traveling pretty far… Are you headed to Ba Sing Se too?"

Zuko spoke up with a leveled tone. "Yes… We're meeting my uncle there…"

Than looked over our features trying to guess our background. "Where do you come from?"

We shared a look of uncertainty, and then I answered, "We're from a small town near the Mo Ce Sea… Our home was invaded and we've traveled for many weeks to get to the great city so we can start anew."

Ying nodded. "We're all searching for that new start…" She placed a hand on her belly again with affection. "I'll do anything to make sure this little one has a safe future."

I smiled at the woman, remembering back to when Kinata was pregnant at the tribe. She was the last woman in three years to have a baby since the warriors left. I can remember how excited everyone was about the baby's arrival. They named him Huka, after his father who died falling through a piece of ice. He had been on a hunt, and went onto a thin patch that couldn't hold his weight. My father managed to pull him back onto the ice, but he died a day later.

"You're going to be great parents… That little one will be lucky to have you."

She thanked me, and took my hand in hers. "One day you'll have a little one who will be lucky to have you too."

A cough escaped Zuko as he drink his water too fast. I jumped at the sudden noise, and looked over at him with question. He stopped choking and looked down at the dirt with a red face and wide eyes. I looked at him with question, and I saw Than was amused from across him.

Ying giggled. Then she pulled me close to her and whispered in my ear, "He's a cute one. You're a lucky girl."

I blushed beat red at her perception.

Eventually Zuko and I said our thanks and good-byes. We were given directions to a town not too far away where we could buy some supplies and get some rest. As we headed away from Ying and Than on our good friend Zan, I hugged Zuko around the waist so I wouldn't fall. He had been quiet since Ying made her comment, and I wondered why he was so affected by it.

"Zuko… Are you okay?"

He took a moment to gather his thoughts, before he answered, "I'm fine… Just tired." He gripped the reins tighter as he moved Zan a little faster.

I didn't believe him one bit. However, I decided if he wanted to talk he'd let it out eventually.

A few miles later the barren wasteland turned into green farms. Wooden fences were set around family property, and inside were animals of all shapes and sizes. The farm houses seemed to surround the town for miles. There was also what appeared to be a wooden tower for lookout in the center of the village.

"I've never been to a farming village before," Zuko suddenly commented. "It's pretty quiet…"

My eyes watched the groups of men and women that passed us by. They all were pretty poor and weary. I wondered if the village had always been that way, or if war had done a number on the place. My eyes noted a group of men kneeling on the ground that looked like Earth Kingdom soldiers, only their uniforms were dirty and unkempt. They were clearly gambling, and I knew then they weren't the honest soldiers they should've been. As we passed them, they looked up and immediately glared as if to tell us we weren't welcome. Zuko kept Zan moving forward, trying to ignore the intimidating men.

"I don't like this place," I muttered. "The people here are sketchy."

Zuko stopped Zan, and then slid off. He held his hand to me and I took it sliding off as well. He squeezed my hold in comfort. "Just stay by my side. We won't stay long." He grabbed Zan's rein and began to lead us through the quiet ominous village.

Eventually we found the town market which was run by an Earth Kingdom man who didn't look too deceitful. While Zuko tried to buy some feed for Zan, water, and food for us, I looked around and saw a few kids run past and duck on the other side of the stall. I narrowed my eyes at the place they hid, knowing they were up to no good.

"Not enough here for a hot meal," I turned back to the man at the stall with question. "I can get you two bags of feed."

Zuko seemed like he wanted to argue, but then he sighed heavily and nodded. He handed the man what little coins we had and the man in turn gave us two bags of feed for Zan. Just when Zuko was about to reach for the feed, the kids nearby stood and tossed something through the air at the soldiers behind us. I looked over with shock when I saw the eggs they threw both hit the soldier I assumed to be the leader. The kids snickered and darted off from the stall. I watched them go with horror. What were these brats doing?

"Hey!" The soldier's voice erupted through the air. He had left his circle of friends and stormed towards Zuko and I. His buddies stood and followed him to get in on the action. I felt my blood go cold when I saw the weapons at their sides. Would they try and hurt us?

Zuko didn't move, but I saw his jaw clench from the corner of my eye.

The man was right behind Zuko, and I clenched my fist feeling ready to fight if something happened. I didn't think this man would mind creating a scene. "You throwing eggs at us, stranger?"

"No," Zuko said with a level tone. The stall clerk had backed away, and I saw him stare at the soldier fearfully.

"You see who did throw it?"

Zuko turned and I saw him touch the hilt of his sword which he had tied to his side. "No."

Another soldier behind the man snapped, "That's your favorite word, no?"

The main soldier spoke again. "Egg had to come from somewhere."

Zuko tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. "Maybe a chicken flew over."

A soldier at the rear of the group laughed, and the leader turned glaring at the man to silence him. When the man stopped, the leader turned back to us with cold eyes. He then stepped forward and reached between us taking the feed from the stall table. My eyes widened and I felt my blood boil.

"Thanks for your contribution. The army appreciates your support." He tossed the bags of feed back at the man who laughed. "You better leave town. Penalty for staying is a lot steeper than you can afford, stranger." He patted the hammer at his side threateningly. "Trust me."

His eyes then shot over to me, and I crossed my arms to stand my ground. This man was nowhere as terrifying as Zhao had been. Plus, Azula was a monster compared to him.

"Of course, your girlfriend is welcome to stay. We could find plenty for her to do in this small village." His men laughed behind him at his words. I cringed and shrunk in fear.

Zuko inched in front of me, his body tense and ready to fry the man if he tried anything. "We'll be out of your hair in a few minutes." He placed his arm around my shoulders.

The leader scowled. "Fine… Get out of my village." He turned and stormed off, and the rest of his posse followed. Zuko still had his arm around me even as the men disappeared around the corner.

The merchant muttered behind us, "Those soldiers are supposed to protect us from the fire nation, but they're just a bunch of thugs."

Still on alert, Zuko moved me away from the stall and back over to Zan. As we mounted and started to head out, the little boy who threw the egg suddenly came around the corner of a wooden building and ran over to us. He stepped in our path forcing Zuko to stop Zan from moving forward. The boy was perhaps ten, and had messy hair that went in all directions. His clothes were torn and covered in dirt.

The boy exclaimed with gratitude, "Thanks for not ratting me out!"

Zuko ignored him and moved Zan around the boy to get us away from the village.

"Wait!" The boy caught up and grabbed onto the rein. "I'll take you to my house and feed your ostrich horse for you… And you both could sleep in our hay shed for the night. You look like you could use some food and rest." Zuko and I shot one another a look of uncertainty. "Come on, I owe you."

Nodding, I smiled weakly at Zuko. "We could use a good night's sleep."

He let out a heavy sigh. "Fine… Just for the night."

The young boy grinned and began to lead us out of the village back towards the farming area. "My names Lee by the way! My mom and dad love visitors. We don't get a lot because of the war and stuff, but when we do we're always thrilled. I'll have to show you all of my favorite animals on the farm…"

Lee spoke to us the whole way to his home, telling us about everything he did on the farm and how much he loved taking care of the animals. Zuko seemed to zone out as he spoke, while I nodded my head to pretend I was listening to him. Back at the South Pole I wasn't always good with kids. When I had to babysit one night so the adults could attend an important meeting, I wanted to tie up each kid I got stuck with. Of course, those were all Gokada's children and took after his crazy ways. They poked me with sticks and jumped on me all night, driving me completely berserk.

"There it is!" Lee pointed suddenly at a small wooden home in the distance that had a large fenced in area. There were animals of all kinds running around the field, and I could see a shack out back where most likely the hay was held. The house was in poor condition, and the wood looked a bit cracked. I knew then that Lee and his family were living off of whatever their farm animals provided them. If we could use animals for food in such a way, no one in my tribe would ever have to hunt again.

"Lee! Where in the world have you been?!" A middle aged woman raced out of the house with worry in her light brown eyes. Her hair was up in a bun with bangs that framed her face. She looked utterly relieved as she threw her arms around her son. "Your father and I have been worried sick!"

Lee tried to break free from his mom, and when he escaped he gestured to Zuko and I. We had dismounted Zan when the woman ran out of the house, and stood behind Lee with uncertainty. I wasn't sure what this woman would think of us, and I knew Zuko felt the exact same way.

"I was in town with Ming… We were sort of messing with Gow and his men…" His mom's eyes widened with horror. "This guy managed to cover for us though and we escaped without getting into trouble. I told them they could spend the night and get some food in thanks for not telling on me."

His mother narrowed her eyes at him. "You know better than that young man! Do you want to be forced away from us?!"

Lee pouted and hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry mommy…"

She shook her head in disbelief. "Forget it… Just take their ostrich horse to the stable. And go tell your father we have guests." Lee nodded and grabbed Zan's rein leading him around the house to do so. The woman turned back to us with a weak smile. "Sorry about him… Ever since his brother left he's been a handful." She held her hand out towards me. "My name's Sela. We'd be glad to give you a place to stay for the night."

Shaking her hand, I said with gratitude, "Thank you… This means a lot."

A man suddenly rounded the house where Lee had just disappeared, and I could tell immediately he was Lee's father. He had a short beard and a top knot. His shirt was ragged and covered everything but his chest. He stared at all of us with question.

"You two friends of Lee's?"

Lee suddenly ran back from around the house having overheard his dad. He stopped beside me and gestured over to Zuko. "This guy just stood up to the soldiers! By the end, he practically had them running away."

At Lee's words, I had to try all I could not to giggle. He was definitely over-exaggerating a little.

Sela smiled kindly looking at Zuko. "Does this guy have a name?"

I could see Zuko turn anxious as he didn't know what to say. "I… uh…"

The man jumped in. "He doesn't have to say who he is if he doesn't want to, Sela. Anyone who can hold his own against those bully 'soldiers' is welcome here." The man suddenly put his arms around his wife and son in a fatherly manner. I grimaced as I suddenly thought of my own father. _"_ Those men should be ashamed to wear Kingdom uniforms."

Sela frowned. "The real soldiers are off fighting the war, like Lee's big brother Sen Su. Supper's going to be ready soon. You two look like you could use the meal."

I smiled. "Yes… We haven't had a good meal for days."

She nodded. "Why don't you come help me in the kitchen then, while the men work on the barn. Gansu could use some help with the roof. I'll come get you all when suppers ready."

A few minutes later we both stood in the kitchen making something I'd never even heard of before. Sela called the concoction _Pau-buns_ and said they were a delicacy in the Earth Kingdom. As I helped her fold the dough over some pork, she began to converse with me.

"So where are you two headed? You look so young to be traveling so far alone."

I frowned and hung my head. "We're headed to Ba Sing Se to find a friend… We both don't really have a home to return to so we have no other choice…"

"What happened to your family?"

My hands stopped folding the dough, and I stared out of the opened window in front of us. "I don't know… I haven't seen them for months…"

Sokka… Katara… Gran-Gran… My eyes watered as my heart tightened in pain. I missed them so much. I missed my brother's protection, my sisters love, and my Gran-Gran's care. I missed my family so much. Zuko was good company, and I loved being with him, but I couldn't get over the fact that I longed to see them again. I wanted to see my family again.

A comforting hand overlapped my own, and I looked over to see Sela smile comfortingly at me. "I'm sure you'll see them again… Have faith dear." She turned back to the dough with sad eyes. "This war tears many families apart… We must all hold onto hope that we will one day be reunited."

Nodding, I turned back to preparing the food. However, I couldn't help but think of Katara and Sokka.

Would I ever see them again…?


	26. Glaciers

**A/N:**

 **Readers,**

 **Here I go again... Sorry sorry sorry! I am so sorry for these late updates! Summer is going crazy, and so is packing for college and everything else. I have no clue when the next chapter will be up, but I will work on it whenever I can. Please forgive me for making you all wait, and I think you for your continuous support and patience. I will try and do better. Thanks also for the reviews.**

 **Best,**

 **Faithy Waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 26: Glaciers**

The hay moved beside me causing me to open my eyes groggily. Looking over at the young man who slept on the pile of hay next to me, I saw him grimace and turn in his sleep. His eyes were shut tight and his body shook at the dream that seemed to be plaguing him. As he grimaced once more from the nightmare, I quickly rolled so I could face him. Going to grab his arm, I stopped when suddenly he spoke.

"Mom…" His one word made my eyes widen. He was dreaming about his mom. From what I recalled, the only thing he knew was that his mom disappeared one night and was never seen or heard from again. He didn't go into much detail other than that. I'd asked him about her back when I was prisoner on his ship, and he told me he wasn't sure what happened to her. "Don't go… Don't…"

My fingers brushed against Zuko's forehead, pushing a few strands of hair from his face. When I did so, his restless body stilled and he sighed with relief. As he relaxed back against the hay, I lowered my hand from him wishing I could do more. His hand stopped me before I could break contact though, and I was surprised to find his dark amber eyes suddenly staring at me.

"It's hard to sleep when you do that…" He kept my hand against his cheek as he turned his body towards me.

"Sorry I woke you… I was just worried… You looked like you were having a bad dream…"

He grimaced from my perception, and I felt his hand squeeze my own for comfort. "Not really… It was memories… Just really bad memories."

"About your mom…?"

He let out a heavy sigh. With a nod, his hand released my own. He sat up and ran a hand through his messy hair trying to calm his nerves. Sitting up myself, I looked over at him with concern. He looked greatly disturbed from the memories he was forced to relive.

"I wish she were still with me…" He said softly. "She always knew how to comfort me when I was upset. She was one of the kindest women I knew in the Fire Nation. Other than Uncle, she was the only other person in my family who truly loved me…"

My heart tightened at his words. "What do you remember about the day she disappeared?"

He hung his head. "Not much… I remember that right before my last sighting of her, Azula had told me that father was going to kill me. Uncle had lost his son during the great battle of Ba Sing Se. With greed, my father told Fire Lord Azulon that since Iroh no longer had a bloodline the birthright to the throne should be given to the youngest son. I remember my Grandfather was outraged at my father's selfish words, and he told him that he would be punished for his actions. Then Azula joked father was going to have me killed, and mom overheard her… Later that night, I was woken by mom… She told me that everything she had done was to protect me... She told me that no matter how things may seem to change, I should never forget who I am."

His voice shook when he spoke a few seconds later.

"That was the last time I saw her… I… I wish I could go back… go back in time and tell her how much I love her… I never told her that night…" He covered his face to hide his tears. "I miss her…"

I scoot over and wrapped my arms around his waist to console him. He suddenly placed his arms around me for comfort, and pressed his face into my hair letting his tears soak away. I let him cry silently without saying anything, knowing he needed to let his emotions out. I had comforted Sokka in the past, so I had experience with consoling a crying young man. Just like Sokka, Zuko didn't need me to say anything. He just needed me to hold him so he didn't feel alone.

He stopped crying after a few minutes, and quickly tried to wipe away any sign of his tears. "Distract me," he said softly, his voice cracking slightly. "Tell me something you did at the South Pole… I... I don't want to think about my past right now…"

I nodded, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Okay… If it will help…"

He didn't meet my eyes, and I knew the memories of his past were beating him heavily.

After a second of gathering my thoughts, I began to tell my small tale. "When I was about eight, my brother and I decided it would be fun to sneak from the village and go climb Green Glacier... This particular glacier was used every year for a coming of age ritual. The young men would first pass the test of ice-dodging, and then follow with ice-climbing. If successful, they would receive marks of acceptance from the other warriors of the tribe. My brother told me that if we climbed the glacier together, we would both be seen as warriors. We'd always been a little jealous of Katara who had been receiving most of the attention since others discovered she could waterbend. We wanted to make our parents proud, and so we set off to do so."

Zuko was calming and his eyes met my own with curiosity. He seemed to be enjoying my distraction so far. I continued.

"The trek is about three miles from the village. It took us an hour to trudge through the snow and reach the giant glacier. When we arrived though, we were more determined than ever. Sokka went first up the steep icy slope, and then I followed. At first the climb seemed easy, but then the angle grew more sharp. We started to have to use the indents in the ice to climb. I think the both of us had doubt in the beginning that we would reach the top, but we kept climbing not wanting to fail. We climbed for what felt like forever, and at times we both almost fell off the giant structure. We were thrilled however when we both finally reached the top."

I smiled remembering Sokka grabbing my small hand and pulling me onto the flat top of the glacier. We both had been out of breath as we sat on our knees in exhaustion.

"That day we became the youngest ever to climb Green Glacier. We both carved our names into the ice, and managed to clamber back down without falling to our deaths. When we got back to the village, we were excited to tell our parents what we did. Of course, they didn't believe us and thought we were making the whole thing up. The next day though, a group of young men climbed the glacier to complete their rite of passage. When they got up and saw our names carved in the ice, they were amazed and returned down to tell our dad what they saw."

My memory pictured my father's face as the young men stood before him having received their marks. They told him about our names carved in the ice one hundred feet above, and I was certain my father's jaw had dropped.

"When dad returned to report to the villagers the men had passed their test, he also told that his children had climbed the glacier the day before. Instead of receiving congratulations like we expected, we were grounded for a week for endangering ourselves and ruining the test. The villagers decided that if two kids could climb the glacier at eight years old, then anyone could pass the test and become a warrior. They did away with climbing Green Glacier's that day, making the sole becoming of age test Ice-dodging. Sokka and I changed a three-hundred-year tradition."

Zuko laughed and shook his head in disbelief. I was glad to see my story had cheered him up. "You must've made those other men feel embarrassed that two kids beat them to the top. I can't imagine what your dad thought."

I smirked. "He never doubted Sokka and I again after that day. The next month when we told him we were almost eaten by a polar-wolf he believed us."

"I'm surprised your dad left you to go to war… I would've been too worried you'd fall in a pit somewhere."

His words made me cringe as I remembered the day before my father left. He and my Gran-Gran were having a conversation outside while the rest of us slept in our small igloo home. I'd been awake and could make out the conversation through the thick ice wall.

 _Laying on my mat, I opened my eyes in defeat unable to drift to sleep. My father had given us all the news he and the other men would be leaving for war. He'd asked Sokka to take care of the tribe during his absence, and told Katara and I to watch over the women and children. Katara had begged father to stay, while Sokka pleaded to go with the warriors. I stayed silent, too hurt that father was leaving us and his people to go fight a war I didn't believe could be won._

 _Pulling my fur blanket tighter around me, I suddenly heard a voice seep through the air. "Why are you really doing this, Hakoda?" My Gran-Gran's tired voice fell into my ears, and I scoot slightly closer to the cold wall to listen._

 _"_ _I have to do this Kanna…" My father spoke calm but firm. "I must protect you and the rest of our people from those Fire Nation beasts. If me and the men can take out their fleets with our warships, we may have a chance of strengthening our allies. The Earth Kingdom can't fight this battle alone."_

 _There was silence for a moment, and then my Gran-Gran spoke again. "We need you and the men… Our Tribe is weak. If an attack comes then-"_

 _"_ _There will be no attack. Our tribe is practically invisible from the Fire Nation. We are so small in number that they will brush us aside like ice-drifts. There is no reason for the Fire Nation to have any desire to attack our home, when there is nothing to attack."_

 _"_ _We thought that before… Before Kya was killed we never imagined the tribe would be attacked…"_

 _"_ _Which is why I must do this! The more Fire Nation we destroy, the safer you and the others will be. I will not stand by and allow the enemy to hurt my people again. We lost too many that day."_

 _"_ _What about your children? You would leave them to go on this dangerous quest?"_

 _A brief pause passed, and then my father spoke again. "Leaving my children will be the most painful thing I've done… But I must… I- I can't stand to look at Crystal any longer and see the past… The more I see that mark left on her by those monsters I feel nothing but anger." My eyes widened and my hand moved up to brush against my cheekbone. "That scar is a reminder of my failure to protect this tribe and family. It's a memory of the woman I lost… The woman I once loved more than anything in the land. If I stay here and see that mark any longer, I fear I may lose myself to both anger and grief."_

 _"_ _Hakoda… Your daughter's scar reminds us all of the pain we experienced that day… but we must move on for her. It's not her fault that those savages killed Kya… You should not be ashamed of your own daughter because of her permanent wound."_

 _"_ _You think I'm ashamed…? I'm not… I just want to make up for my mistakes in the past. Crystal would've never been hurt if I was more aware of the enemy. I will go and fight them head on this time before they have a chance of stepping foot on our land!"_

 _I stopped listening and shut my eyes tight as a tear escaped my eye. Father was leaving us, and it was because of me. I caused him pain… My scar caused him pain…_

"Hey… You okay?"

Zuko's question made me jump, and I quickly realized I'd zoned out for a moment. I smiled weakly and gave a small nod. "Yeah… Got a little distracted. Sorry."

He smiled weakly. "We should try and get some sleep… We need to set out tomorrow."

The both of us reclined back on the hay again, and I drifted back to sleep a few minutes later. As I drifted, I dreamed about the past just as Zuko had. Our two pasts were different, but in a way more similar than anyone could've imagined. Although we came from two different worlds, both of us lost our mothers at a young age. We both bore the blame of our loss… We both were permanently marked with a symbol that forever reminded others of the past.

Fate had a strange way of bringing two opposites together…

When I woke up later that morning, I found Zuko wasn't in the small barn we were staying in. Leaving the shelter, I noticed him petting Zan over by a pile of feed preparing for our journey. Heading over, he looked up when he heard me approach.

"We have enough feed?"

He looked over at the feed tied to the back of Zan. "Hopefully it will get us to Uncle… We don't have money for more…" He managed to hoist himself onto Zan's saddle then, and a second later he managed to pull me up behind him. I quickly grabbed around his waist so I wouldn't fall.

"Headed off you two?"

Gansu's voice took us both off guard. We turned to see Lee and his family heading over to us. Lee seemed to be in a good mood as he grinned from ear to ear. Sela stepped up to us and handed over a package.

"Here. This ought to get you through a few meals."

I smiled at her with gratitude taking the gift. "You've done so much for us. Thank you for your kindness."

Gansu stepped over placing an arm around his wife's shoulders. "I wish we could do more for you kiddos. Hopefully you get to your destination soon though. You two look like you've been traveling for a very long time."

"Yeah. Very long," Zuko admitted with dismay.

The sound of approaching ostrich horses was suddenly heard, and we all turned our head to see Gow and his men headed a straight beeline for all of us. Zuko scowled, and I hugged around Zuko's waist tighter with uncertainty. Whatever these cruel men wanted would not be good.

Gansu sounded both annoyed and concerned as the men headed straight our way at full speed. "What do you think they want?"

Zuko held firm to Zan's reins to keep from losing his temper. "Trouble."

As the rogue Earth Kingdom soldiers stopped their mammals before us, Gow eyed our group with disdain.

"What do you want, Gow?" Gansu was direct and seemed eager to get the men off his land and away from his family.

He grinned. "Just thought someone ought to tell you, your son's battalion got captured." Both Sela and Gansu turned pale. My eyes widened in horror. "You boys hear what the Fire Nation did with their last group of Earth Kingdom prisoners?"

One of his comrades stated, "Dressed them up in Fire Nation uniforms and put them on the frontline unarmed, way I heard it." He spat saliva on the ground at Gansu's feet. "Then they just watched."

My hand clutched the pack of food Sela had given us with agony. Were the Fire Nation really that ruthless? My heart ached at the thought of Gansu and Sela's eldest son getting killed in battle. It would destroy them.

Gansu didn't want to believe Gow. "You watch your mouth!"

The harsh man moved his ride forward as if to threaten Gansu, but Zuko was one step ahead. He moved Zan into Gow's path forcing the man to pull back on his reins. Gow didn't seem at all pleased.

"Why bother rooting around in the mud with these pigs?"

I couldn't hold it back anymore. "Better than associating with a couple of criminals."

There was a pause of silence for a second. Gow was stunned I had spoken, and so were the others. Then he regained his composure, scowled, and pointed a finger at me. "You better watch that loose tongue of yours, girl. It will get you into trouble one day." He sneered at Lee and his family, and then turned his animal leading his group of men away.

Once they were far enough to be just hazy figures in the distance, Sela turned to her husband in horror and pressed her face into his chest.

Lee's chipper mood had flooded away and his eyes were pained. "What's going to happen to my brother?"

His father seemed uncertain, but tried to stay strong for his family. "I'm going to the front. I'm going to find Sen Su and bring him back." He led Sela away from us back towards the house. The woman was beginning to look faint, and I knew she was sick from worry. As they headed away, Lee straggled behind.

The young boy turned to Zuko with moisture in his eyes. "When my dad goes, will you stay?"

Zuko seemed to hesitate, and then sighed heavily. "No… We need to move on." He took his knife from his side and held it down to the young boy. "I want you to have this. Read the inscription."

Lee took the knife with surprise, and red the engraved letters on the handle. "Made in the Earth Kingdom."

Zuko shook his head. "The other one."

He gazed at the steel of the knife with question. "Never give up without a fight." A smile spread over his lips. He looked up at Zuko and nodded letting him know he understood.

We turned away from Lee then and made our way from his distressed family. As we distanced ourselves, I pressed my face into the back of Zuko's shirt feeling my eyes water and heart ache for the people we were leaving behind. Zuko seemed to be lost in his thoughts as we moved through the farming village and headed south.

We didn't get very far before Zuko stopped Zan under a tree of shade by a small stream. He stated he was tired from being up all night unable to sleep, and that he needed to clear his thoughts for a little bit. I didn't pester him about it, and instead sat beside him in silence. The two of us leaned against the tree, Zuko pulling his hat low over his face.

We only sat two minutes in silence until I could no longer hold it in. "I wish we could've done something for them. They were so upset… So worried…"

Zuko took in my words, and then softly stated, "It's best not to get involved… If the Fire Nation really did capture their son's fleet, then there's nothing anyone can do." His words made my eyes fill with moisture. "The Fire Nation is a powerful force that can't be stopped."

"They can… No one's invincible," I whispered, although my throat had tightened as I tried not to cry. "Aang will stop them…"

A heavy breath sounded from the young man beside me. "A twelve year old kid is no match against my father's army… He will fail…"

Shutting my eyes hard, I felt a tear slide down my cheek. "You're wrong… He can win…"

"Even if that's so… By the time he does, many will die by the hands of the Fire Nation," he muttered. "Even if he somehow stops my father, he can't bring back the dead…" Zuko took a moment, and then spoke again. "War is a bloodbath, Crys. No matter how much I wish we could save every man out there from dying, death is inevitable."

Hanging my head, I recalled the scream of my mother as she was heartlessly killed by the monster so long ago. How many more would have to die for this war to finally end?

We sat the rest of our time in silence, the both of us utterly lost in our wild thoughts. As we wandered in our own minds, I pictured my family and friends of the South Pole. My stomach twisted as I imagined what I would feel if the Fire Nation captured them and killed them all. The thought seemed so unbelievable, but I knew with great terror that the Fire Nation could fulfill such a massacre if they desired. My people were weak, poor, and unprepared for any form of battle. If the Fire Nation attacked, they would be wiped out in a matter of seconds.

"Help!"

A familiar voice called out in the distance, and we looked up in surprise to see Sela racing over to us on a cart dragged by their ostrich horse. She pulled the handmade wagon over to us, and I could see immediately she was in distress. Getting off, she scrambled over to us with desperation. Standing quickly, I met her half way and she grabbed my arms with agony.

"You have to help. It's Lee. The thugs from town came back as soon as Gansu left. When they ordered us to give them food, Lee pulled a knife on them. I don't even know where he got a knife! Then they took him away. They told me if he's old enough to fight, he's old enough to join the army. I know we barely know you, but..." She released me and broke into tears. "Please… He's my baby."

My eyes shot back over to Zuko whose fists were clenched tight as he thought about Lee. He stood then and turned to Sela with confidence. "I'll get your son back… I won't let him get hurt…" He walked over to Zan and hopped onto the saddle. Then he turned so his eyes stared off towards the direction of the village. He gripped the reins with determination. "You two stay safe. This will be over soon."

My eyes widened. I realized then that he was going on without me. "What?! Wait!" He ignored me and forced Zan forward towards the town. His figure faded as he grew further. My heart skipped a beat as I pictured Zuko taking on Gow and his men. He would have to firebend, and if he did that then everyone would know his true identity.

"I have to go help him!" I started to move forward, but Sela grabbed my arm to stop me.

"No. Hop on my wagon. We'll get there much faster," she urged. I didn't argue. The both of us loaded onto the wooden contraption, and Sela snapped the rein to move the ostrich horse along. As we followed Zan's tracks back towards the village, I held my head in my hands not sure what I would find when we caught up. I was glad Zuko desired to save Lee, but he was outnumbered.

"I'm so sorry… Fo- for bringing you and your friend into this." Sela held to the reins as tears fell down her cheeks. "I- I just didn't know what to do… I- I can't lose my baby… I can't lose both of my-" She broke off and lowered the reins which slowed the cart. As she did so, she broke into sobs and dropped her head. "I can't even protect my sons… What kind of mother am I?"

Her pain caused me to feel great sympathy for her. As she cried, I took her hands in my own and gave them a reassuring squeeze. "Your sons are lucky to have you," I reassured. "You're such a loving mother. You're willing to do whatever you can to protect your children." She looked at me with surprise. "A true mother protects her children with all the strength she has."

Sela seemed comforted by my words, and nodded with a small smile. She pulled from my hands then and flicked the reins once more. As the cart moved forward once again, I pictured my own mother in my head.

She had protected me… She had given her life to protect me… So had Zuko's mom… She gave her life to protect him… I couldn't let another child be torn away from their mother. I refused.

We eventually arrived in town where a crowd had gathered. There were shouts and grunts heard when we arrived. Hopping off the wagon as soon as Sela pulled it to a stop, I raced through the crowd to break through. Reaching the center, I saw Zuko was going head to head with Gow and his men. He was using nothing but his bare hands to fight, and I saw with thrill he had sent two men running already.

Gow backed up with terror as his last man ran forward to attack. He lunged a spear towards Zuko with a shout. Zuko easily kicked at the wood of the spear, breaking it in half with the force of his swing. The henchman looked at his broken spear with horror and then turned on his heel following the other men who had run. That left Zuko with the leader, and I could tell Gow was enraged by his men's cowardice.

"He's amazing…" Sela stood beside me watching Zuko's skills with astonishment.

Gow stepped forward and grabbed his two war hammers which were held on his back by a strap. He then let out a shout and smashed one hammer on the ground. The impact caused a boulder to lift from the earth, and Gow batted it with his other hammer sending the rock straight towards Zuko.

Two broadswords were suddenly wielded in Zuko's hands as he managed to slice through the rock sending the rubble around him. Gow shot three more similar attacks towards him, and to my horror the third hit him straight in the stomach. The attacks continued, and after a few more heavy boulders I could see Zuko was beginning to tire out. After a few more close calls, Zuko was hit again by a large rock. Panic shot through me as Zuko stumbled back, and with quick thinking I yanked some water out of a pot that was being carried by a passerby. The woman was too busy watching the fight to notice my petty theft.

As the tyrant went to throw another rock at Zuko, I rushed through the crowd and out into the open. Then with force, I thrust a strong stream of water straight at the grinning man. The water hit him hard in the side, and he shouted as he was pushed to the ground. His wet body slid in the dirt, and then came to a halt. The hammers landed a few feet from him. The crowd gasped at my attack, both shocked and thrilled by my waterbending. Gow turned his eyes towards me with astonishment.

"Wha- You're a waterbender?!"

Stepping over to him, I tightened my fists ready to attack again if I had to. There were other sources of water around us that I could use. "And you're a filthy crook! You don't deserve to be called Earth Kingdom soldiers! You're no better than a snow-worm!"

Gow's menacing glare was enough to convince me that my words had impacted him. He tried to stand, and I could see he was irate by my insult. His eyes shot back to Lee, who was tied to a watch tower post. "Your friend just opened her mouth for the last time." He turned back to me, his rage taking over his senses. "I'll teach you some respect you wench!"

Taking a step forward, I sensed water in a trough for animals nearby. "Go on and try!"

Gow let out a shout and raced towards me without his hammers. Thrusting my hands in the air, I yanked the water out of the trough and straight towards the dirt between Gow and I. Then I froze the earth just as Gow stepped onto the covered path. His foot slid forward, and the rest of his body followed suit. He shouted in surprise as he slid right past me towards the crowd. Cheers erupted from behind as the man lied in bewilderment.

Zuko had recovered at this point and stepped over to me. "What are you doing?!"

His vexing eyes took me off guard. My jaw dropped in disbelief. "What do you mean? I'm helping!"

"You could get hurt!" He turned his eyes back at the man who was returning to his feet. "If you want to help untie the kid!" He turned fully back to his opponent.

With disbelief, I turned away from him and headed over to Lee. He watched Zuko fight from around me as I untied him from the watch tower. "He's amazing! I knew he'd come to rescue me!" Lee's praise towards Zuko made me slightly jealous. I'd taken Gow down twice… Where was my thanks?

As I managed to pull the rope from Lee, Sela raced over and pulled her son into her arms with utter relief. My eyes shot back over to Zuko who was once again hitting Gow's attacks out of the way. Sela placed a firm hand on my shoulder as the two fought. "I knew there was something special about you. What's a waterbender doing so far from home?"

My eyes widened at her interrogation. Pulling from her grasp, I said without meeting her gaze. "Sorry… I can't tell you."

The crowd suddenly gasped, and my attention quickly returned to the battle. My eyes widened in horror when I saw Zuko had lost his footing from being struck by a large rock that rose from the earth. He was lying on his back, and I could tell he was greatly hurt.

"No!" I went to step forward, only for Sela to grab me on the arm so I wouldn't get hurt.

"Get up!" Lee cried only a second after my call.

Zuko lied there for a moment, most likely winded by the blow. Gow snickered and stepped forward. "Who's going to save _you_ now, boy?" He took another step forward, ready to smash his hammer against Zuko's skull.

Panic sunk through me at the thought of Zuko being defeated. "Get up! Please!"

As if my words awoke him from his momentary stun, he suddenly did a twist on the ground sending a circle of fire in the air. Gow stepped back in shock at the sudden heat that blasted his way. The crowd gasped in horror as they saw the fire dissipate in the air. Zuko was on his feet again, and this time he shot a straight blast of fire at Gow's stomach sending the man falling on his back to the ground. He lay there in the dirt with both terror and shock.

Gow's voice shook. "Who are you?"

Zuko picked up his swords from the dirt, and then stood tall. "My name is Zuko. Son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai." He sheathed his swords to their holder. _"_ Prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne."

He spoke with such confidence, and I wondered where the mood had come from. However, an older man from the crowd quickly shouted, "Liar! I heard of you. You're not a prince, you're an outcast! His own father burned and disowned him."

Sela released her hold on my arm with shock, and as soon as I was free I raced over to Zuko. He looked disturbed by the man's comment. Throwing my arms around him, I hugged him for comfort knowing he was upset about being called an outcast. He hugged me back with pain, and I wished there was a way I could comfort him more.

"Get out of our village you monster!" A woman's shout from the crowd made me only hug him more.

Zuko pulled from me a moment later, and then he stepped over to Lee. Bending down, he picked up the dagger he had given to Lee a few hours ago and then extended it towards the boy. The boy stared at it with malice, while his mother stepped between him.

Sela shouted with fury. "Not a step closer!"

Zuko ignored her, inching the blade closer to Lee. "It's yours… You should have it!"

Lee scowled, pressing into his mother's side. "NO! I hate you!" Tears of anger trailed down the boy's cheeks.

I stepped over in defense. "Please… He's not the enemy…"

Sela narrowed her eyes at me. "Coming from the mouth of a traitor. Leave with him! You've turned your back on your people by being with the enemy!"

My heart ached at her accusations. "You've got it all wrong… Please, Sela. You have to-"

"She said leave!" Lee shouted. "I never want to see either of you again!"

Zuko stepped back from Lee. Then a second later his hand slid into my own. "Come on, Crys… Let's get out of here…"

Nodding, I followed Zuko as he pulled me through the crowd. They all stepped back to let us through like we were the plague. When we got to Zan, we both mounted and headed away from the hateful gazes of the crowd. As we went, I hugged Zuko tight around the waist. He kept his eyes on the path before us, but I could tell from his slumped shoulders he was disturbed by the hate shot his way.

"They're wrong, Zuko…" I whispered to him. "You're not a monster."

He hung his head, and I saw his grip on Zan's reins tighten. "No… I am…" He looked up at the sky as we headed further from the cruel gazes of those we once were accepted by. "I'm the spawn of my father who is seen by these people as the enemy… I will always be a monster in their eyes."

My head dropped against him. "It doesn't have to be that way… You can change their minds."

He fell into thought for a moment, and then he stopped Zan. As he was lost in contemplation, I stared back at the village which was beginning to shrink in the distance. I couldn't believe after everything Zuko had done for them, they were still so cruel towards him.

"You're wrong… The only way I can fix any of this is by returning to my original quest." He suddenly slid off of Zan and picked something up from the ground. He examined what he had found, and I tried to see what he clutched so desperately to. When I finally caught a glance at the thing in his hold, my blood ran cold.

Long white fur was held firm in Zuko's clutches. He stared at Appa's familiar fur with a new found determination. "The Avatar's in the Earth Kingdom, and by the looks of this he's close." Zuko looked up at me with fire in his eyes. "I will not let him slip away again."

My eyes widened, my heart stopped beating, and my breathing hitched as I realized what Zuko was saying. He was returning to his hunt… He was going after Aang and my family again… He had once again returned his focus to restoring honor.

I had to stop him.


	27. Fate's Harsh Truth

**Finally! I know this chapter is long overdue, and I apologize so much! My life has been a spiral of chaos over this last month! Not to mention I had writers block for about a week! Anyways... Here it is! The long awaited chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 27**

The darkness of the cave surrounded me as I listened to the steady breathing of Zuko nearby. For the last three hours I'd been pleading with him for a break. Zuko had been on a steady move ever since he found Appa's fur. We'd followed the trail of shed fur for miles, only stopping when we desperately had to. However, after a whole day of travel, I could see that Zan needed rest. When I told Zuko we needed to stop, he told me I just was trying to gain the Avatar some time. I smacked him on the back of the head in response, and he came to his senses.

We'd made camp inside a small cave that was cool and uninhabited. Zan found a cool spot on the dirt to lay, and Zuko decided to recline against him for the night. As the two slept, I sat and stared out at the dark world unable to sleep. My heart ached as I was conflicted with what to do. I knew I had to stop Zuko, but I wasn't sure what step I should take. When I was riding on Zan, I tried to think of anything I could say to persuade Zuko he was making the wrong choice. I knew trying to reason with him would do no good though.

My eyes shot back over to my two sleeping companions, and I wondered what would happen if they woke up in the morning and found me gone. Would Zuko freak out? Would he be mad? Would he care?

The last question was quickly shaken from my thoughts. I was sure he would care. As much as he desired to capture the Avatar, I knew he still loved me. However, I couldn't feel some type of resentment towards his sudden focus on finding Aang. He clearly had much more desire to please his father than to be with me, and that hurt me. He would be willing to throw our chance of being together away so he could return home.

My eyes watered as I came to the realization that I'd tried not to believe: Zuko loved his honor more than me.

As these words ran repeatedly through my mind, I grasped the necklace he had given me so long ago. I knew as I did, that it was time to choose my path. I had two choices: Stick by Zuko's side, let him capture Aang, and then become a prisoner to the Fire Nation; or rush ahead to warn Aang, stop Zuko, and become an enemy to the man I loved.

The thought of what would come out of my actions greatly burdened me, but I knew the decision had to be now or never. Closing my eyes, I pictured my family, Aang, and Appa… As much as I loved Zuko, I couldn't let him hurt my family and the world.

Standing as silently as I could, I made my way over to Zan who slept soundly. My movements were as light as I could make them, and reaching for the canteen of water I tried not to bring Zuko out of his sleep. To my relief, he didn't stir and I felt I could finally breathe. Taking a quick sip of the canteen, I placed it back on Zan's saddle. I wasn't sure how long it would take me to catch up to the others, so I didn't want thirst to be my enemy.

Once I was ready, I stepped to the end of the cave and stared up at the moon above. A tear slid down my cheek as every piece of me wanted to turn around and go back to Zuko. I restrained myself, remembering that finding Aang and my family was more important. As I started to head away from the cave, I hung my head trying all I could not to look back. If I looked back, it would only cause more pain.

My feet crunched against roots and twigs as I headed towards the grasslands of the Earth Kingdom, and away from my companions. By the time I walked three miles or so, I saw dark silhouettes of mountains form on the horizon. I knew from maps Iroh had shown me that these mountains revealed I was headed toward the Si Wong Desert. Appa's fur appeared to head a straight beeline towards the mountains, and I quickly questioned where my family was headed. Were they really planning on flying across the desert?

Eventually I started to reach a crowd of trees whose dark shapes rose tall above. Just as I was about to continue forward, I stopped walking as the ground below me suddenly began to shake. My eyes widened, and I turned my head in shock. A dark shape was slowly emerging over a hill in the distance. The shape was most definitely the cause of the trembling ground below me.

With slow movement, I inched behind a bush and crouched down to hide from the shape that was growing closer by the second. As the shape came into view, I noticed with utter horror that it was some type of giant machine. The sound of the metal grinding as the machine advanced forward caused my ears to ache. The smoke being set off from the machine appeared to dim the moon above. As the strange moving contraption began to become more visible, I saw the front of it was narrow and pointed, while the rest of it looked like a long metal weapon with wheels. My eyes widened as I came to realize just who owned the steel machine: The Fire Nation.

A crack in a root sounded behind me, and I gasped turning in shock. My heart pounded a million times a minute as I saw Zuko standing over me. His eyes weren't looking at me though. Instead, he was gazing at the machine with horror.

"Azula… She's following the Avatar's trail…"

At the name of his sister, I was surprised he knew who was behind the machine. However, I quickly focused on the question in my mind as I stood and faced him with guilt. "When did you figure it out?"

He moved his eyes from the machine back towards me. He looked hurt by my betrayal. He knew exactly what I was asking him. "You didn't speak a word to me all night… You were avoiding my gaze since we stopped in the cave. I could see the guilt written all over your face. I was pretty positive you were going to leave in the middle of the night. That's why I never fell asleep… As soon as you left the cave, I grabbed Zan and followed you."

Internally I wanted to kick myself for not hiding my plans better. On the other hand, I felt awful for trying to leave Zuko in the middle of the night.

"I had to… I knew you would try to stop me… I can't let you capture Aang… I can't let you destroy this world."

Zuko took in my words slowly, and I could see he was trying to remain calm. His eyes shot back to the passing machine in the distance behind me, and he frowned. "I'm not the one you need to worry about it seems… If I don't capture the Avatar, then my sister surely will."

His words caused me to worry. "How do you know it's her?"

He narrowed his eyes. "There's only one other person who would risk going after the Avatar in the middle of the Earth Kingdom…" He turned and began to walk away from me. As he did, I watched him go with more guilt than earlier. He was most likely hurt by my treachery, and I knew I couldn't be sorry.

He stopped walking suddenly, and I heard him let out a heavy sigh. He turned back towards me and crossed his arms. "Are you coming willingly, or am I going to have to throw you over my shoulder?"

His question surprised me. However, I quickly found my voice. "What are you going to do?"

The young man who I still cared so much for, stepped over to me and grabbed my chin. Forcing me to stare into his gaze, he stated, "I'm going to stop my sister, and then once I do the Avatar's _mine_." He leaned his head down so he could lessen the distance between us. "You can come willingly, or by force. Either way I'm not letting you out of my sight. I know you'll try to stop me, and I can't allow that."

His words sent a feeling of irritation through me. Shoving his hand off of my chin, I snapped, "You can't make me do anything! I'm not going to just sit back and let you capture the Avatar. I love you Zuko, but I will not let you destroy this world!"

There was a sudden tension between us as we both wanted two very different things. His fists tightened at his side as he realized I wouldn't make his night easy. Zan suddenly stepped into view, probably curious over the noise Zuko and I were making. At Zan's presence, Zuko turned and headed over to him grabbing something on his saddle.

"I don't have time to argue with you… I can't let Azula get too far ahead. Are you going to come or not?"

His question was strained as he tried to hide his emotions. I knew he was torn between making me happy and regaining his honor. I could see he wasn't thrilled about having to threaten me, but that he was running out of options. He would not forget about his mission, but he also refused to leave me behind.

"If I come with you, will you promise that once you stop Azula you'll leave Aang alone?

Zuko did not answer, but he didn't have to. We both knew the answer to my question. Once Zuko took care of Azula, he would go after the Avatar. Zuko wouldn't rest until the Avatar was in his possession.

"If you don't want me to get in the way, then the best option for you is to leave me here. You may think you can stop me from helping Aang if I go with you, but I will not rest until the Avatar is safe from both you and your sister. You can watch my actions all you want, but I will do what I must when the time comes."

"How will you be able to help the Avatar if you can't bend?" His tone was leveled as he tried not to betray his emotions. "What makes you think you'll have the chance to save him when the time comes?" He turned back toward me, and my eyes widened when I saw what was in his hand. A long piece of rope dangled in his grasp, and I knew immediately what he was planning to do.

Quickly I tried to feel for any source of water that might be nearby. To my luck, there was a stream that seemed to be a few meters away. If I could just get close enough, I could use the water to defend myself against Zuko.

"I guess I should've seen this coming… I should've realized that one day we would have to turn against each other." I took a slight step to the right, keeping my eyes on Zuko. He tried not to show the regret that was flowing through him. "One thing I have to confess though, is that I won't ever stop loving you… I hope you know that…" I felt my eyes water at the truth. "No matter how far apart our paths tear us, I won't ever forget what we have…" I felt my throat tighten, but I managed to get the rest of my thoughts out. "I just wish things could be different… I wish we could truly be together…"

He grimaced and looked down at the rope in his hands as my words caused him pain. He wished the same. He loved me too. However, it was time to face reality. Zuko was the crown prince of the Fire Nation, and I was the daughter of Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe. As much as we loved one another, we were of two different worlds.

"Good-bye…" I took one last painful look at the man I loved, and then turned sharp on my heel.

Taking off towards the stream, I heard Zuko only shout a second later and pursue me. He was too far behind to stop me from reaching the stream, and as soon as the water came into my grasp I managed to pull it out and harden it in the air. Creating a solid ball of ice, I lunged my hand in the direction I'd come. The ice flew straight towards Zuko, who just barely managed to jerk his body out of the way. In the process he dropped the rope. Once his own hands were free he quickly shot a blast of fire at me.

The bright ball of flames shot fast, but I managed to bring up a wave of water that rose high above me and crashed into the flame. The fire doused, and the water kept in a direction towards Zuko. Zuko gasped as the water hit him, and the impact sent him flying back off his feet. As he crashed backward onto the ground, I took more water and shot it in front of me creating a wall between us. Freezing the wall, I found a thin layer of ice separating myself from Zuko. Through the ice, I could see a distorted image of Zuko as he tried to get to his feet. While he was distracted, I turned and leaped across the stream landing on the other side.

"CRYSTAL!" A few moments later Zuko's fury could be heard behind me as I darted off through the forest. I wondered if Zuko would try and burn through the wall, run around it, or give up on pursuing me. I could only imagine the pain he was feeling at the moment from my attack. He probably hadn't expected me to fight back so hard. He probably hoped I would cooperate and not give him so much trouble. He should've known me by now though… I wasn't one for just sitting still.

My heart hurt and my eyes were clouded with tears, but I kept moving in hopes that I would gain distance from Zuko. He had Zan to catch up to me, but I knew it would take him a few minutes to get back to Zan and follow me. I tried to keep the tracks of Azula's machine in sight as much as I could as I raced endlessly through the night to get away from Zuko.

Eventually I knew I had to hide, because there was no doubt in my mind Zuko would catch up. An opportunity arose when I saw some tall reeds piled together by the same stream from which I borrowed water earlier. Quickly I maneuvered my way into the reeds and dropped down on my belly to hide myself from sight. I didn't have to wait long. Only a minute after I hid, Zuko and Zan could be heard passing by. As Zan's heavy steps dug into the dirt, I shut my eyes praying he wouldn't pick up my scent. To my relief, he and Zuko kept going. I didn't release my breath until they were gone.

Once I was sure I was safe, I let out a deep sigh of relief and managed to find my feet. My body was exhausted, my clothes were covered in dirt, and I had sweat dripping down my forehead. I knew I had to keep moving though. I'd just let Zuko get ahead, and if I didn't follow his tracks I might reach Aang too late.

The rest of the night felt endless as I journeyed behind both Zan's and the machines tracks. As I headed along, I couldn't help but think about everything that had just occurred. The whole last few hours felt like a dream. I wished at any moment I would just wake up and find none of this had happened. I wished that Zuko had never spotted Appa's fur on the ground… I wished we were still headed to Ba Sing Se… I wished destiny didn't have to be so cruel…

I'd fallen hopelessly in love with a man that I could not have… We were of two different nations, and the possibility of us having ever been able to be together was next to nothing. We did not share the same goals, and for that we were forced to part.

By the time the sun began to rise, I'd finally run out of tears to cry. I also realized that at some point during the night I'd lost my path and could not find the tracks I once followed. The dark and pain had blinded me, and I was now lost in the middle of nowhere without a clue if I was headed on the right path. The rumble and sound of the machine had left my ears hours ago. As I stumbled constantly over roots, rocks, grass, and other obstacles on the ground, I prayed to the spirits for some relief. I was tired and defeated. I was eager for some sight of familiarity. I felt alone and empty.

 _Please… If any spirit is out there listening… Please help me!_

Stepping through some brush, I tripped over a lifted root and fell forward onto the ground. My hands reached out to catch me, but the pain vibrated through my whole body. My luck was awful at the moment.

I tried to catch my breath, and as I did I felt a sudden new stage of tears. My hope was starting to fade. "Please… If you won't help me then at least help Aang…" I began to speak out loud to the spirits, my heart no longer knowing what else to do.

"Aang… You know Twinkletoes?"

A young female voice spoke up from a few feet away. I gasped at the sudden intruder and looked over to see a young girl of twelve standing nearby. She wore a green short-sleeved outfit with a yellow-green tunic over it, a brown belt with studs on its edges, and green and brown-colored arm and ankle bands. She also had a yellow headband with green lining. Over her shoulder was a bag of what I assumed to be her belongings.

Her question and presence had stunned me. "Yo- you know the Avatar?" I stood weakly, my body fatigued and only holding on by hope.

She stood for a moment observing me. Or at least I assumed she was observing me. Her eyes weren't looking at me, but I could tell she was taking me in. I knew as I stared at her glazed over eyes that she was blind.

"Yeah," she finally answered. "I'm on my way to catch back up to him. We got separated for a bit, but I know which direction he headed. He needs me to teach him Earth Bending."

I was amazed at the kid before me. She was going to be Aang's Earth Bending teacher…?

"What about you?" She stepped over to me, and crossed her arms. "How do you know Aang?"

Trying to gather my thoughts, I answered, "I don't know him much… I've only spoken to him briefly… But he's traveling with my family…" I immediately knew I had to join this girl to find the others. "I have to find them before it's too late. You know where they're headed… Take me to them…"

Her eyes had widened as soon as I started speaking. Her mouth was open in shock. Finally, she exclaimed, "Hold on! Your Sokka and Katara's sister?!"

Nodding, I replied with a yes knowing she couldn't see.

She suddenly beamed with delight. "I can't believe it! Just wait until the others find out! I just found their sister! Now Katara will have to respect me!" She stepped over and grabbed my arm. "Well what are you waiting for?! Let's go!"

I was astonished by her enthusiasm, and I didn't know what else to do but to follow her. As she pulled me along, I wondered if perhaps my luck was turning at last. The spirits had granted me a guide to take me to my family.

The girl eventually introduced herself as Toph Beifong, and admitted her and my sister had butted heads pretty rough last night. She'd joined the group a few days before, and she had to admit she hadn't done the best job at getting along. She told me about her double life: she had been a rich blind girl during day, and an arena fighter at night. She spared no detail about how her and my family met. She told me about fighting Aang, having them bombard into her home, and encouraging her to join them. Toph admitted that it was only after she realized her parents were going to trap her for life that she decided to run away.

"I was tired of being seen as weak… I want my parents to see that I'm not some helpless blind girl that needs constant protection." She smiled as she walked beside me. "If teaching the Avatar earthbending is my way of proving to the world I'm strong, then I'm willing to take the chance."

I crossed my arms for comfort, but was glad she was distracting me. "That's great. Aang and the others will be lucky to have you."

She nodded. "Well, enough about me… what about you? I thought you were traveling with some crazy prince? How did you end up in the middle of nowhere on your own?"

Her words caused another surge of pain to shoot through me. Crossing my arms, I muttered, "It's a long story…"

She seemed to consider my words, but she wouldn't let me off the hook that easy. "Let me guess... Crazy Prince finally let his guard down and you took your chance to run?"

I cringed. "Yeah…" It was sort of the truth. Zuko hadn't exactly let his guard down. He just had a moment of weakness that I took advantage of. "I finally escaped… He tried to follow me, but I managed to hide in some reeds until he passed. He's following Appa's trail of fur at the moment. I thought if I could reach them first somehow, I could help."

She abruptly stopped walking, and I gasped as I almost fell into her. Stepping back, I was concerned by her sudden halt. She turned towards me, and I saw her glazed eyes furrow in confusion. "Why did you leave him? If he was following the Avatar, why didn't you stay with him until you both caught up to Aang?"

Her question caused me to hang my head. My eyes shut tight as I tried to stop them from the burning liquid that wanted to fall. "I couldn't… Every minute I was with him only made my heart heavy with burden… I knew when we caught up to the others I would have to betray him… I couldn't stick around and pretend everything was okay." I let out a heavy breath, wishing things could be different. "A few weeks ago I had hope that Zuko and I could actually find a way to be together… But when he found Appa's fur yesterday, I realized how foolish those hopes were." Crossing my arms once more for comfort, I stared at the grass below my feet. "We may love each other, but we will never be able to be together. I couldn't continue to journey with him, because I knew the longer I was by his side the harder it would be to say good-bye."

Toph took in all I said, and then her body turned away from me once again. She started to walk, and I watched her go as my heart pounded sharp in my chest. "You did the right thing." She continued walking, and I followed having no other choice. "You may not think so at the moment, but when you catch up to the others and see Aang is alright then you'll know."

Nodding, I stared up at the trees canopy above wishing Toph's words would comfort me. I still felt sick to my stomach.

"Can't believe you actually do have feelings for him though… Aang told me your brother freaked when he found out you and Prince boy had a thing for each other. Your family doesn't seem thrilled you fell for the enemy."

A heavy breath escaped me as I looked anywhere but at Toph. I whispered softly, meaning every word, "Fate is strange…"

Toph stopped suddenly, and I did so as well. She stood for a second, and I wondered what was wrong.

"Toph? What-"

She held up her hand, telling me to be silent. Her bare feet were planted firm to the ground as she concentrated on nothing I could see. "We're getting close. The machine has stopped and it looks like the groups split up. There are three strange beasts moving away from the machine." She fell silent for a moment. "I think we should head in the direction that the one beast is going. I have a feeling its headed towards Aang."

"Ho- how do you know that?" I looked around in confusion, seeing nothing that Toph was seeing.

"Another thing is following behind, and I assume that's your prince guy. I would guess he would only be headed in the direction Aang went." She started to walk again, but stopped. "Oh! You mean how do I know _all_ of this…? You can thank my feet."

Her words stunned me, and I quickly asked her to explain. She told me that the way she can see is by using the vibrations in the earth. She said her vision is no different than the way I see things, only she uses her feet rather than her eyes. Her technique fascinated me, and I wondered if all earthbenders could do the same. She told me she was the only one as far as she was aware.

Somehow we found ourselves coming upon the giant machine which I had seen a few hours before. In the light of the day, the machine looked twice as big and intimidating. When we got to the front of the machine, we quickly realized why the group had split. Two trails of Appa's white fur went left and right, and on each trail was a set of giant claw marked footprints. Kneeling down by the trail that turned right, I saw immediately the familiar imprints of Zan sunk into the earth.

"Aang went this way," I said softly. "We should go." I went forward, but Toph grabbed my shirt and yanked me back. I yelped and looked at her with question. "What?"

"You're not going to help Aang empty handed." She released me and yanked a canteen out of her personal bag. "Fill this up with water. Katara told me you're a bender, so you'll be able to fight if you have your element." She tossed the canteen at me, and I stared down at it with surprise. "Well! What are you waiting for?! Aang needs us!"

Her shout brought me out of my uncertainty, and I quickly filled the canteen with water from the small stream beside us. As soon as I was prepared for the battle ahead, Toph gestured for me to follow and we both stuck on the trail of dead fur and tracks.

As we headed through the forest, we soon found ourselves coming upon a barren land that seemed to be nothing but dry dirt. The mountains were much larger on the horizon, and I wondered if they had something to do with the lack of water. "There's some type of town up ahead." Toph quickened her steps, and I followed right on her tail. My hand tightened on the canteen I held, and I felt my heart pound in my ears.

Would I have to fight Zuko in a few seconds? Would I have to go against Azula again? Was I really ready for a fight?

It felt like forever since I'd last been in an actual fight. The little spat I had with Zuko a few hours before was nothing compared to actually fighting the enemy. I knew last night that Zuko wouldn't hurt me. As I headed towards Azula, I came to the realization that she wouldn't care how much damage she did to me.

The sound of a loud explosion echoed from the distance, and I gasped as I could finally see on the horizon a wooden town with smoke flying up towards the sky. The fight had already begun, and I prayed Aang was winning against Azula's wrath. At the same time, I hoped Zuko wasn't hurt. My heart was torn between Aang's safety and Zuko's.

"We better hurry," Toph said. She grabbed my hand and began to yank me along. We took off in a run towards the town, both of us set on making sure the others were safe. As we came up on the abandoned Earth Kingdom town, I saw numerous buildings were blazing with fire and dark smoke rose up towards the sky. Some of the buildings were damaged with gaping holes in the wood, while others were missing pieces to their roofs. There were scorch marks everywhere.

A shout was heard, and my mind quickly registered it as my brother's. I was familiar with his warrior cries, and my heart leaped as I realized for the first time since I started out what was about to happen: I was going to see my family again. After months of being apart, I would be reunited.

Racing forward ahead of Toph, I felt adrenaline pump through me as I uncorked the canteen she had handed me earlier. Drawing the water out, I raced around the corner of some scorched buildings and saw them.

My brother had gotten taller over the months we'd been apart. He looked stronger too as he stood with his warrior club, ready to attack. My sister stood a little way from him, and I could see she had gotten stronger as well. Her hair was longer, and she looked to be one with the water she was controlling before her. She didn't show any uncertainty, and looked like a master waterbender. Aang stood on the other side of her, his hand gripping his staff tight. He looked older than I last saw him, and he too had grown taller and stronger. The time we had been apart had been long, and I could see the three of them had faced many challenges during our separation.

Azula stood before the three of them, her appearance showing no change. She was still the same crazy girl that tackled me in the woods a few weeks before. From the distance, I could see she was slightly panicked as she realized she was outnumbered. As if she convinced herself she wouldn't win, she turned on her heel and tried to run. I narrowed my eyes and raced forward.

Shooting a stream of water straight at her, I froze it just as it reached her. She was hit hard by a painful rush of ice, and she stumbled back with a cry of pain. She fell on her butt in a daze, shocked by the unexpected attack. I stopped a few feet before her, my hands moving to bring the ice back into the air and turn it back into water.

"Crystal!" My brother, sister, and Aang's elation could be heard from nearby.

Azula came out of her daze and was outraged. "You!"

I scowled. "Good. You do remember me. That was payback for earlier! I was sore for days!"

She jumped to her feet, and quickly stepped back to try and distance herself from me. She sneered. "I was wondering what happened to Zuzu's plaything. If he can't even control his wench, how's he going to control the Avatar?"

"Don't call her that!" A familiar voice suddenly shouted from behind me, and I turned my head in surprise. Zuko came out of nowhere, looking a bit beaten up, and shot a hot ball of fire at his sister. She gasped and quickly blocked it with her wrists. Zuko stepped beside me, his fists clenched as he prepared to fire again. Azula growled, and went to attack him, but the earth shifted below her and she fell down on the dirt. Toph appeared on the other side of Aang then, and they all looked over at her with elation.

As the six of us surrounded Azula, she knew she was done. She stood back up and tried to escape through the alley behind her, but she ran into someone else. My eyes widened when I saw Iroh. What in the world was he doing here?! I couldn't believe fate had brought every single one of us together.

We all eventually formed a circle around her, forcing her to back up against the worn wood of an old building. Her eyes darted around the circle at all of us with horror and fear. She didn't know what to do. She was in a situation she clearly had not expected. She turned her head towards me, and then over to Iroh, seeing both of her exits were blocked.

She finally sighed and stood up straight. "Well, look at this. Enemies and traitors all working together. I'm done." She held her hands up. "I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor."

The way she spoke made me only on extra guard. Her eyes darting around the group told me she wasn't giving up just yet. We inched closer to her, all of us prepared to fight if she attacked. There seemed to be a long pause as none of us did anything, waiting for her to make the first move. The pause abruptly ended though.

Azula suddenly grinned and shot her hand straight towards Iroh. Time seemed to stop as the blue fire hit him in the chest and sent him falling onto his back. My heart tore, and my anger rose as I saw the man I had come to see as a father crash unconsciously to the dirt.

I lost my calm. "NO!" I shot my water hard at Azula, and everyone else followed my attack. She created a huge shield of blue fire which caused a harsh explosion to blast through the air. We all had to turn away as black smoke flew at us, and when the smoke settled a few seconds later and we could finally see, Azula was gone.

My eyes burned with hot tears of fury as I stared at the spot she had once been. _How could she? Her own uncle?!_

Turning sharp on my heel, I raced over to Iroh who was out cold on the ground. Falling beside him, I stared at the burnt flesh on his skin in horror. Where the flesh had been burnt, there was blood and blisters. Zuko joined my side only a second later, falling on his knees and dropping his head in agony.

"Uncle…" His voice was broken as he took in his uncle's condition. "No…"

I didn't need to think about what to do next. I took no time. "Help me get his shirt off," I quickly said. "I need to heal him fast."

Zuko looked over at me with surprise, his eyes moist with tears. He nodded though when he saw my eager determination and did just that. As he attempted to remove Iroh's shirt, I stood and turned to Katara with desperation. My family, Toph, and Aang were still standing nearby. Everyone but Toph was watching my actions with shock.

"Katara! I need to borrow your water!"

I stared at the pouch attached to her side. She had been smart and put the water she flung at Azula earlier back into it. I'd been too hit with rage to save my own water. She stared at me with shock, and I knew it was probably because she had no clue I could heal. She read my eyes which were spilling tears, and then she sighed with defeat. Opening her water moccasin, she held it out to me. I drew the water quickly from her and then turned back to Iroh and Zuko.

"Wait a second! You can't be serious! You're helping him!" Sokka was outraged as he realized what was occurring. "He's the enemy."

As I pressed the water over Iroh's bare chest, I let the water soak into his blistered and bloody skin. He grimaced which was a good sign that he wasn't too far gone.

"Aang… Call Appa here so we can grab the bandages we keep for emergencies," Katara suddenly said from behind.

As I healed Iroh, I looked back at her with surprise. She met my gaze again, and gave me a small smile to let me know she understood. I smiled back and mouthed to her a thanks. As I did so, I saw Aang take something out of his robe pocket. He blew into it, and I heard nothing. I decided not to question it, and turned back to my work.

"This is crazy! I can't believe we're helping the brother of the Fire Lord! What would father say?!"

Katara tried to calm him down. "This is the right thing to do… We can't just let the man die."

"Sure we can! He's the enemy! They'd do the same to us!"

Zuko let out a heavy breath beside me. I knew he was trying to ignore my brother's shouts, but it was pretty hard to ignore. Zuko kept his eyes on my work as I let the molecules of the water sink into Iroh's flesh, but I could see from the corner of my eye he wasn't thrilled with Sokka's comments.

The sound of Appa landing nearby was heard a second later, and I felt relieved that Katara had mentioned bandages. The wound would definitely need to be covered so infection wouldn't spread.

"Great! So we're giving the enemy first aid care. What's next? Should we invite them to just journey with us?!" Sokka's shouts were throwing my concentration off, but I continued to try to ignore him. "We should be getting out of here! Not hanging around to play physician!"

"Sokka! Shut up!" Toph shouted. "I met this dude. He's super nice. You don't have to be a jerk!"

"Nice! How can he be nice?! He's kept my sister prisoner for months!"

I grimaced at his last comment. I was never a prisoner to Iroh… He always saw me as a friend…

A body suddenly knelt on the other side of me, and I looked over to see Aang with the bandages. I smiled with gratitude, pulling the water from Iroh's freshly sealed wound. The skin was still blistered, but the brunt of the damage was healed. He would be sore when he woke up, but he would live and that was all that mattered.

"Let's get him bandaged, and then we'll move him into a building. He shouldn't be in the heat like this in his condition." I stood once more and turned back to Katara. She read my mind and held her water pouch out towards me. Once I had the water back in its container, and I avoided Sokka's gaze, I took the bandages from Aang.

Zuko managed to hold Iroh's body up as I wrapped the strips of cloth around his chest. To my surprise, Aang and Katara came over too and helped to hold Iroh up as well. Zuko was shocked by the help we were receiving, but he didn't argue. I was relieved all thoughts about capturing Aang were put on hold at the moment as Zuko worried more for his uncle. No one spoke, but it was clear they all understood Iroh was the top priority at the moment.

Once he was bandaged up, Toph took over and managed to lift the earth below Iroh so the man was hovering on a stone platform. She then carried Iroh out of the sun and into one of the nearby buildings that hadn't been damaged by the previous fight. She set him down as carefully as she could, and then bent the earth out from under him so he was lying on the wooden floorboards of the building. The others had stayed outside when we moved him, and only Zuko, Toph, and I had entered the building.

Once Iroh was in the shade of the building, bandaged, and semi-comfortable, we all sighed with relief. As things calmed down, and Toph went back outside, I felt for the first time how exhausted I truly was. When Iroh had been shot by Azula, adrenaline was the only thing pumping through me as I tried all I could to save him. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, I felt my muscles burn and my throat dry from lack of water.

We sat in the room in silence for a few minutes, Zuko and I not really sure if we should talk or what we should say. Katara interrupted after a minute or two, coming into the building with a blanket draped over her arm and a jug of water. She sat them down in front of Zuko, who looked up at her with surprise.

"It's not much, but it should get you through a few days… It gets cold at night, so make sure you keep him warm. He'll get infection if his body temperature drops too much." She stepped back from him, and then turned to look down at where I knelt beside Iroh. "We'll be waiting for you on Appa… Take your time…"

She turned and left then, and as soon as her presence was gone the room fell silent once more.

Neither of us moved as we knew what was about to happen. As soon as I left the room, I would go join my family.

"He should be okay…" I said softly. "He just needs rest for a few days…"

Zuko nodded, avoiding my gaze. He said softly, "Thanks for healing him…"

I smiled weakly, "He's like a father to me… Besides… I owed him for always taking care of me."

Zuko nodded. He took the blanket and draped it over his uncle, still not meeting my eyes.

After another minute of silence, I finally let out a heavy breath. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier this morning… I- I just couldn't stay by you and watch you hurt Aang… I know I should've handled it all a different way, but—"

"No." He cut me off. After avoiding my gaze for so long, his eyes finally met my own. "You were right to fight me… I shouldn't have tried to force you to come with me… I shouldn't have been so foolish to think I could defeat my sister…" He hung his head again. "I feel like this is all my fault… Uncle wouldn't have been in this situation if I'd just kept heading to Ba Sing Se…" A tear fell down his cheek. "I regret everything…"

I ached for his pain. Reaching my hand out, I grabbed his own for comfort. He was surprised by my sudden touch, and looked up at me with question. "He's alive, Zuko… The Avatar is still free… Your sister didn't win." I tightened my hold on his hand. "You have not lost… I know you're struggling right now, and I understand how much you want to go home… You will one day… You just have to be patient." My words seemed to calm him, and I could see his tense shoulders relax.

"I have lost though… Because of all of this, I've lost you…" He looked up again, and I could see the pain in his gaze as he realized we were about to part. "I know I have to let you go though… You need to be with your brother and sister… I've kept you from them too long."

My body shook at the pain of having to say goodbye one last time. "I wish things could be different… I wish you could come with us…"

He sighed heavily. "Me too…" He gripped my hand in his own, not wanting to let go. "If things were different, then I would…"

Nodding slowly, I looked back over at Iroh who looked to be in a peaceful slumber. "You two take care of each other… I- I won't be around anymore to keep you both in line…"

He grimaced. "Yeah… We will…"

The floorboard creaked behind us, and I turned to the doorway to see Sokka standing there. His eyes were narrowed as he looked at the grip Zuko and I had on each other's hand. He crossed his arms, and spoke with a firm tone, "We need to go, Crys. Your time is up."

His words made me a little irritated, but I calmed knowing why he was saying it. He just didn't want me to get any second thoughts about staying with Zuko, instead of going with my family.

With one last squeeze of Zuko's hand, I stood and went to leave. Sokka continued to wait at the doorway, ready to escort me to Appa and away from the "enemy" as he called them. Just as I was stepping over to Sokka, I heard a shuffle as Zuko stood from behind me.

"Crystal! Wait!" I stopped mid-step.

Turning, I looked back at Zuko with question. He broke the distance between us before I could question him, and the next thing I knew his lips were crushing my own. As he wrapped one arm around my waist, and placed his other hand behind my head, I shut my eyes enjoying our last moment together. His hand tangled in my hair as his kiss only grew. Tears were falling down my cheeks as I kissed him back. My hands found both sides of his face, and I felt the warmth of his skin one last time. He broke away for a second, only long enough to catch his breath, and then he kissed me again. This time his hand left my hair and moved to the back of my neck. Our noses touched, our bodies touched, and our hearts molded into one.

A hand grabbed my arm suddenly, and I was yanked away from Zuko towards the doorway. Sokka held a firm grip on me, as he used his other hand to point his warrior club at Zuko. "That's it! No more sucky face!" He released me, and then stepped between Zuko and I. "If you ever come near my sister again, I'll make sure you end up worse than your uncle! Stay away from my family and friends!"

Zuko paid no mind to Sokka. His eyes stayed on my own, and I knew then we were both saying a silent goodbye. Sokka noticed, and quickly turned grabbing my arm again. "Let's go, Crys!"

As Sokka pulled me towards the door, and away from Zuko, I tried to jerk from his hold. "Sokka! Wait! Let me just say one last thing! Please!"

My brother stopped, his rage slowly fading as he started to come briefly to his senses. He let out a heavy sigh, and then dropped his grip from my arm. "Fine." He didn't meet my eyes, but his tone was firm. "One last thing. Then _we_ are leaving."

Looking back at Zuko, I could see he was trying all he could not to lose his emotion. With agony, I said my last words.

"I love you so much, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."

He took in my words, and then spoke with his heart. "I love you too…"

Turning then, I let one last tear fall as I walked past Sokka out into the blazing sunlight. I didn't pay attention to if Sokka followed. I was sure he did. All I knew was that I couldn't look back, because if I did so, I would crumble into a million pieces.

Taking one step at a time, I created the distance between Zuko and I as I moved towards the familiar flying sky-bison I'd met so long ago. Every step felt like a piece of my heart was being left behind. I knew this was the right thing to do though…

It was time for a new chapter in my life.

It was time for me to be with my family again.

It was time for fate to take me on a different course.

Sokka stayed silent as he walked beside me, and I could see he was guilty for having been so harsh to me a few seconds before. He had wanted to sound firm in breaking me and Zuko apart, but he had seen how much the separation was hurting me. He was probably scared I hated him know for his force. To reassure him, I took his hand in my own and gave it a squeeze. He looked at me with surprise.

"You look different," I said softly, knowing I needed to let him know I was glad to see him. Zuko would never leave my heart, but I needed to focus on my family now. They needed me, and I needed them. "Time has changed you."

His guilt calmed, and his hand returned my grip. "You're different too… I can see you're not the same little sister I knew at the South Pole…"

I nodded, and looked back at Appa whom we were approaching. "Looks like we have a lot of catching up to do…"

He stopped walking, and I stopped beside him. We met one another's eyes, and he let go of my hand. With fast moves, he suddenly pulled me into his arms and gave me the strongest and warmest hug he had in a very long time. The familiar embrace of my twin brother sent tears to my eyes. I hugged him back, forgiving him for his past actions in the last few minutes. I knew he was just trying to protect me.

He hugged me closer, his body towering over my own from the time that had changed us. "I've missed you so much, sis."

Pressing my face into his chest, I promised, "I've missed you too."


	28. Hard Topics

**Hey readers! Thanks so much for continuing to follow my story. I apologize for how long these chapters are taking. My senior thesis is around the corner, so I may not update the next one as soon as I would like to. Please be patient, and I will have it up as soon as I can. I hope you enjoy this chapter though.**

 **Best wishes,**

 **Faithy waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 28:**

 **Zuko POV**

Sitting beside Uncle, I stared at the doorway to the building seeing the sun was rising over the horizon. It had been hours since Uncle was struck by Azula's fire, and I knew the only reason he was alive was because of Crystal. After the Avatar and his giant pet took off yesterday, I'd managed to locate some more water in the town and find some tea leaves while I was rummaging through an abandoned Earth Kingdom home. I looked everywhere for the ostrich-horse I'd come to town on, but it appeared Zan had been scared off by the fighting and was long gone. When I got back to Uncle, I placed my findings in the corner of the room. Then sitting against the wall I drifted into a much needed sleep. When I woke up the next morning, I returned to my Uncle's side, anticipating his return to consciousness.

For the last few hours, I'd done all I could to not think about Crystal. However, having had the rest I desperately needed, I couldn't help but think back on all that had occurred.

Yesterday I was with Crystal, and today she was gone.

Yesterday I shared one last kiss with the girl I loved. Today, she was out of my reach forever.

My heart felt like it was being stabbed by a dagger as reality sunk in. Crystal was gone. She was gone and I probably would never see her again. Shutting my eyes tight, I felt tears build as I pictured her in my mind. We had been through so much together. She had taught me so many things. She had filled my life with a joy I hadn't felt in years.

She was the first person besides my Uncle to actually see past my scar and love me for me.

Why was fate so cruel? Why did the one girl I fall in love with have to be someone I couldn't have?

A tear escaped, and I felt the warm liquid slide down my cheek. I would miss her so much. Having to watch her leave yesterday was the most painful thing in the world. Every ounce of me wanted to stop her. Every part of my being wanted to fight her brother and pull her back into my hold.

However, I stopped myself. I knew I had to let her go…

For the first time in a very long time I took the right path.

If it was the right path though, why did I feel so horrible?

"From that look of great agony on your face, I assume Crystal is gone with her family…"

My Uncle's tired voice made me jump, and I opened my eyes to look down at him with surprise. He was still lying down with the blanket over him, but his eyes were looking over at me.

"Uncle!" I was thrilled he was awake, and another tear escaped, only this time it was relief. "You were unconscious. Azula did this to you… It was a surprise attack…"

"Somehow, I'm not surprised…" Uncle sat up carefully, and the blanket fell from him. He winced at the movement, but he didn't seem to be in excruciating pain. He gazed down at the bandages on his chest, and then knowing filled his gaze. "I'm assuming Crystal is the reason I'm alive."

Nodding, I hung my head and averted my gaze from him. "Yeah… She healed you… Her sister left us some water to get us by. I haven't been able to find food in the area, so I'll head outside the village and look later…" My voice broke off as I felt the absence of the girl I loved.

"That's a good idea… I'm sure you're as hungry as I am." Silence fell over us as we both drifted into our own thoughts. My eyes shut tight as I felt my heart ache again. "This may not ease your burden, but I must say: I'm proud of you, Prince Zuko… I know you don't think so at the moment, but soon you'll see that you did the right thing… You made a wise choice."

My Uncle's statement made me grimace. "If I did the right thing, then why do I feel so horrible…?"

He smiled weakly. "There's an old saying my mother used to say to me: Although the right thing may feel like the wrong, the reward in the end will prove the wrong was right."

My Uncle's words spun through my head repeatedly, and as I tried to understand them he began to make sense. I frowned and tightened my fists in denial. "What reward… I've lost the only thing I want…"

"Things that are lost can always be found," Iroh insisted. He seemed confident when he spoke again. "You will see her again, Prince Zuko. I know it. The way you two care about each other… Well that's something fate can't change."

Letting out a heavy breath, I turned my eyes over to the doorway once more. I wanted what my uncle spoke to be true. I wanted to see her again one day.

One thing did comfort my mind though… She was with her family, and she would at least be safe…

I quickly tried to distract myself, and I looked over at my uncle with determination. Thoughts of my sister had been heavy in my mind through the night, just as images of Crystal had hovered as well. Pushing Crystal aside as best as I could, I focused on Azula.

"So uncle, I've been thinking... It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I'm going to need to know more advanced firebending if I want to stand a chance against her… I know what you're going to say: she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her… But after everything she's done to us, I can't let her defeat me again."

Uncle met my gaze with narrowed eyes. "That's not what I was going to say at all. She's crazy and needs to be taken down." He suddenly stood, although he grunted as his chest hurt from the movement. I stood too, ready to rush over if he fell. He seemed to steady himself, and then straightened with confidence. "You're right… It's time to resume your training."

I smiled with relief. I was ready to continue my training. I needed the distraction. Anything to keep my mind off of Crystal…

She'd be fine anyway… She had her brother and sister now… They would take care of her… She would be happy with them… She'd be safe…

Running a hand through my hair, I tried to shake her out of my mind again. Uncle's familiar hand suddenly grasped my shoulder in reassurance. I didn't look up, but I knew he was right in front of me.

"I know how you feel, nephew… But Crystal wouldn't want you to worry about her like you are. If you want to make her proud, then the best thing to do is focus on the path ahead."

I frowned, knowing he was right. "I'm not worried," I lied. "I'm anxious to start my training."

Iroh didn't push my emotions any harder. He knew from the pain on my expression the truth. He pulled away, and then walked past me to the jug of water in the room. "Well then, let's get to it… We have much to learn."

 **Crystal POV**

When Appa finally landed in a quarry after he flew for a good two hours, I was utterly relieved to have the giant flying sky bison touch solid ground. As soon as he had taken off, I'd shrieked and grabbed onto the side of the saddle. Everyone laughed at my reaction to my first flight ever, and Toph was thrilled I wasn't the only one who wasn't a fan. As soon as we were off the ground, Katara wasted no time in leaping forward and throwing her arms around me. She hugged me tight as if she feared I would be gone again if she let me go. Sokka had to pry her off of me, telling her that she'd smothered me enough.

It was as soon as Katara released me that I met the little ring-tailed flying lemur named Momo. Aang was thrilled to introduce me to the little guy, telling me how they'd found him at the Southern Air Temple. Momo immediately took a liking to me, jumping up on my shoulder and sniffing my cheek. His nose tickled, and I couldn't help but smile.

As Momo chattered in my ear, my thoughts suddenly went to Zan… I hadn't seen the ostrich-horse since I'd run away from Zuko the night before. I hoped he was okay.

Not surprising, we were all exhausted from the long day we'd endured, so we didn't converse much during our flight away from the abandoned Earth Kingdom village. Aang insisted we needed to land in a rocky area so Toph could begin teaching him Earth Bending. Sokka pulled out a map to figure out where we should go. Katara took over Appa's reins as Aang, Sokka, and Toph strategized. Momo took a nap on my lap while I stroked his fur absentmindedly. My thoughts were full of nothing but the last few hours that had passed.

The location was soon decided on, and Appa was guided to the quarry where we quickly made camp. We all worked together to roll out sleeping bags, and bring supplies down from Appa's saddle. Once we had camp set up, and ate a quick meal of rice heated over a small flame, we all went to sleep. Since I didn't have a sleeping bag, Katara found an extra blanket that the Northern Water Tribe had gifted them with. The blanket was better than sleeping on the dirt, so I took it with gratitude.

Luckily it didn't take me long to fall asleep. When I woke up in the morning, I found I was the first one awake out of the group. The sun was still low enough in the sky that dawn was just breaking. Looking around the campsite, I found Appa was still asleep on the other side of the burnt out fire pit. The giant flying sky-bison didn't look any different from the day I'd last seen him. I was glad he had taken good care of everyone over the months.

Looking over at Toph's location, I found she was still asleep in her rocky makeshift tent. From the two-hour flight the day before, I found Toph was an interesting girl. She had some qualities about her that were girly and cute, but on the other hand she seemed to relate more with Sokka and Aang. She was the tomboy of the group it appeared.

Sleeping on the ground near Toph was Aang and Momo. I had noticed last night Aang wasn't sleeping on anything, and quickly had questioned him. He explained that he liked to be close to nature, and therefore he slept on the ground to connect with the earth. I was surprised by his traditional airbender ways, but didn't comment on the matter.

My sister and Sokka were sound asleep beside me, and I saw both of them looked peaceful in their sleep. As I stared over at their two bodies which were consumed inside their sleeping bags, I couldn't help but smile. It felt kind of like I was home again. It felt like so much time had passed since I'd last seen them. They both had grown so much over the last few months.

A familiar cool piece of stone tingled against my chest, and sitting up I grasped the crystal necklace Zuko had given me so long ago. As the charm was encapsulated in my hold, I felt my heart constrict as thoughts went to the two men I'd come to care so much for. I hoped Iroh would wake up and heal fast… I prayed Zuko would be okay…

Waking up without Zuko felt so unfamiliar and strange. Over the last few months we'd been together, I'd grown so reliant on his company. We'd take morning walks, go search for food together, and even share our innermost thoughts…

Now I would probably never see him again…

A yawn sounded beside me, breaking through my reverie, and I jumped at the sound. Looking over at Katara, I saw she was waking up from her sleep. I released the necklace and let it hang back loose on my chest. As she sat up and stretched, I pulled my knees to my chest and stared at the dead fire pit before me. The sun was starting to climb higher in the sky, and dawn was reaching its end.

"Oh… You're up…" Katara sounded surprised, and I assumed it was because back at the South Pole I was always the last one to usually wake up. My sleeping habits had changed since I'd been with Zuko. He was an early riser, and I had become one too. "How did you sleep?"

Looking over at her, I saw my sister had turned to face me on her sleeping bag. She was sitting cross-legged, and she ran a hand through her long hair to get the knots out.

"Fine…" I answered. "It was nice to catch up on some shut eye…"

She nodded. "Yeah. You probably got as much sleep as the rest of us the other day. Toph told me you had seemed flustered when she found you in the woods."

"I was glad she did," I admitted. "I'd been pretty distracted… I would've been hopelessly lost if it wasn't for her."

Katara nodded. She began to braid her hair as she spoke on. "I was surprised when she told me about you giving Zuko the slip…" She stopped braiding, her voice fading slightly. She spoke the last few words softer. "Is it true… Did you really develop feelings for Prince Zuko…?"

Her question made me cringe. I'd known she would ask, but I hadn't really expected it to be so soon. My eyes dropped from her, and I hugged my knees tighter to my chest. I wasn't sure what I should say, so I just gave a small nod. Silence fell between us as my sister's suspicions were confirmed.

I knew my sister wasn't sure how to feel about it all. She hated the Fire Nation, and I was certain she wasn't a fan of Zuko. She had always learned from our father that the Fire Nation were heartless monsters who didn't care for anyone but themselves. She probably couldn't fathom why I fell for the very nation our father had drilled us to hate.

"I don't get it…" she finally spoke. "The dude kidnapped you from the South Pole, had his guard knock you out cold, and locked you up below deck… Every time we crossed paths with him, he never once offered to release you… You were nothing but his prisoner…"

Shaking my head, I cut her off. "At first that's how it was… He left me in a cell for days, and showed a hot headed personality. I hated him to begin with… I wanted him to fall into the sea, or get pummeled by Aang… I wanted him to pay for invading my village and going after the Avatar… I thought he was nothing but a monster..." I smiled weakly as his image filled my mind. "That all changed though… He showed me eventually that he had a heart. He became one of my closest friends on the ship. He took care of me, and he taught me so many things." I looked over at Katara who looked bewildered. "Zuko isn't a monster… Neither is his uncle… I know I can't convince you, but I won't change how I feel. They are two of the kindest and most caring men I have ever met, and I have no regrets for everything I've done to keep them safe."

My sister was livid. All of the frustration inside her could no longer be contained. "The kindest men?!" She jumped to her feet and stepped over to me. At this point the others were waking up. Her voice had brought them out of their dreams. She crossed her arms. "What do you mean the kindest men? They imprisoned you! They tied me to a tree! Your Prince boy has shot more fire at us than anyone else! He kidnapped Aang and dragged him out in the middle of a blizzard!"

Katara had lost her cool, tears of frustration building in her eyes, and I decided the best thing to do was let her finish.

"I need you to wake up, Crystal! I need you to see the truth! I defended you at the North Pole, but part of me didn't want to believe you truly betrayed us because you actually fell in love with the Fire Lord's son." She pressed her finger to her temple, and shut her eyes to try and calm down. "I don't understand how you can fall in love with the enemy… How can you love the same people that scarred your face and killed mom?"

I frowned at her prejudice. With a heavy sigh, I stood and faced her. We were close in height, so our eyes stared straight into one another. "Zuko didn't scar my face, and he didn't kill mom... You don't know him like I do…" My eyes burned but I held in the tears. "Underneath it all, he has a heart that is pure. I love him for his true self… That man you saw yesterday, who fell beside his uncle in agony, is the man I love. He has one of the most tender hearts I've ever known… He just puts on a mask to try and make others see a different side to him."

I ran a hand through my hair, knowing I couldn't make her see reason. I continued though, deciding if we were going to get all of this off our chest then it needed to be now.

"I know you and Sokka don't want to believe that your sister has fallen for the enemy. Sometimes I can hardly believe it myself… One thing I've learned over these last few months though, is that fate is strange. You never know where your life is going to take you…"

Crossing my arms, I glanced behind Katara to see Sokka was sitting up on his sleeping bag listening. His fists were clenched as he took in my words. Aang and Toph had stood from their sleeping areas and looked like they were uncomfortable with the conversation.

I continued.

"If you're waiting for me to say I'm sorry for betraying the Northern Water Tribe, then you're going to have to be disappointed. Everything I have done over these last few months has been my choice and nothing else. Coming with you all was a choice I made too. I'm not the same girl you remember from the South Pole… I've seen things, and have been through things that I can't even explain. I may not be an amazing waterbender still, but I have grown stronger than ever before. I'm not afraid anymore to face my past, and I'm not afraid to take risks." My heart felt light as I got everything off my chest. "I'm in charge of my own destiny now. Father and the men of the tribe may have thought they could control me forever, but they were wrong. I have decided for myself who to love, and I have decided for myself who I want to be seen as. My scar is no longer a symbol of the past… It is who I am, and nothing more."

I took a deep breath, and then spoke one last time.

"You should know though, that not a day passed by that I didn't miss you all… One thing I am sorry about through all of this is the time that we have been apart. I wished every day I could be there for you, and I prayed every night to the spirits to keep you safe. I knew you were with the Avatar though, and from the brief time I'd met Aang, I was confident he would take care of you both. I'm glad to be back with you… No matter how long we've been apart, I've never stopped loving my family."

The whole group fell silent at my words. Katara was wiping her tears as she took in everything I had said. Sokka was standing now, and I could see he had his eyes shut tight to hold in his own tears. Aang smiled, glad to see that an argument hadn't broke out between my sister and I. Toph seemed amused by my speech, and curious to what would happen next.

Surprisingly, Katara suddenly ran forward and threw her arms around me. She fell into me and cried into my shirt as she hugged me tight not wanting to let me go. I hugged her back, my own tears falling too as I welcomed her abrupt but familiar embrace.

"I'm sorry…" she cried. "I shouldn't have gotten upset… I know you didn't do any of this to hurt us. I know you can't help loving who you do… I'm sorry I ruined the morning…" She sniffled and added, "I just missed you so much, Crys… I was worried about you every day!"

I sighed, rubbing her back like mom used to when we were sad. "I know… I'm sorry I was gone so long…"

"I'm sorry we didn't try harder to get you back..."

I shook my head. "You needed to keep Aang safe. You did the right thing."

Another pair of arms suddenly pulled us into a group hug. Sokka had both of his arms wrapped around Katara and myself. His face pressed into my hair as his own tears fell. "Hey! You two can't share this moment and not invite me," he tried to joke. "Your big brother missed you too."

I smiled, and Katara laughed through her tears. We released one another, and I threw my arms around Sokka. He welcomed my hug with an embrace that told me he didn't want to ever let me go again.

"You're right, Crys." Sokka suddenly said, which took me a little off guard. "You're not some scarred and weak girl from the South Pole. You're my strong and stubborn sister, and that's why I'm so glad to have you back."

A sniffle sounded. "Aw… That's beautiful Sokka," Aang said from somewhere in the background. "You're such a good brother."

Katara and Toph laughed from Aang's sensitive side, and Sokka pulled away from me to glare at Aang. I smiled though, glad to see the worst of this reunion was over. We'd gotten over the hard topics. I knew moving forward we could focus on better things.

That morning for breakfast, we spent hours talking about the time we had been apart. I listened to story after story as Aang, Sokka, and Katara took turns filling me in on everything they had been through in the time we were separated. They told me about the Southern Air Temple; about Kyoshi Island and some fling Sokka had with one of the warrior girls there; Aang mentioned a trip they took to Omashu, and running into one of his friends from a hundred years back named Bumi; Katara brought up their meeting with a boy named Haru, and about how she was imprisoned on a Fire Nation ship to save him and his father. Aang told me then about his attempt to calm an angry forest spirit, and brought up how Sokka had been kidnapped by the spirit and taken to the spirit world for twenty-four hours. I asked Sokka what it was like, and he told me there was bamboo everywhere and no bathroom in sight. This brought laughter from the group.

The story continued with Aang bringing up that after they calmed the spirit, they headed to the Fire Nation to visit Roku's temple. There they ran into the priests of the temple who were actually crooked and tried to capture them for Zhao. One of the men managed to sneak them up to the temple's inner chamber, where Aang was able to communicate with Roku and learn about Sozin's comet. Sokka then explained to me what the comet was, and I was horrified when they told me they had to defeat Fire Lord Ozai by summers end or the world would be doomed.

Katara decided to bring up a lighter conversation, and continued to tell me about their run in with the exact same pirates I'd run into. I interrupted her to praise her for stealing a stolen scroll. Sokka, Aang, and Katara were astounded that I knew about the scroll, and were amazed that I had run into the exact same pirates they had. They couldn't believe that Zuko had actually let me leave the ship and walk in the market area.

The stories continued on. Aang told me about their trip through the Earth Kingdom forest, how they had to free Momo from some Fire Nation traps, and how they were almost Fire Nation toast until the Freedom Fighters showed up. Sokka butted in to say that Katara had gotten a crush on the leader, which earned a protest from her. She told me how Jet was a big jerk who tried to kill a whole village of people. I assumed he wasn't a friend to the group then.

The Great Divide was their next story, and they all three chipped in as they explained the two crazy groups of people they had met. They told Toph and I that they couldn't remember the names of the groups, but that they had to convince the two to work together in order to get through the vast canyon. When they told me they rode on bugs called Canyon Crawlers to get out of the canyon, I was both bewildered and horrified. Giant bugs didn't have a pretty ring to it.

Sokka then told me about his job with a grumpy fisherman, and how they almost were killed in a storm. I had a strong feeling the storm he spoke of was the very storm I almost died myself in. Aang then spoke about how my brother and sister got sick after the storm, and he made his way to an herbal healer in the mountains. There he ran into Zhao again, who imprisoned him, but Zuko surprisingly came to his rescue. I understood then where Zuko had disappeared to during the time I was in and out of consciousness.

Katara relayed to me the next tale about their confrontation with a con artist Fortune Teller who almost killed the village with a volcano erupting, and was lucky to have the group there to save her people. Then they moved on to all chip in about running into Bato in the middle of the Earth Kingdom, and having to fight off Zuko, Iroh, and the chick I remembered to be named June. As they told that story, I couldn't help but grimace at the name of Bato. I'd escaped his son and my cousin only over a week ago. No one noticed my discomfort to the tale.

There was then a story about a man named Jeong Jeong, who had once been Zhao's firebending teacher, and who at first refused to teach Aang firebending but then gave in. Aang confessed to having burned my sister, which he was still very upset about. My sister chimed in to tell me that when she was burned, she learned that she too was a healer like me. After they managed to escape Zhao, who showed up abruptly at the camp of deserter firebenders, they moved on towards the Northern Air Temple. The Northern Air Temple was where they had not only protected a group of nomads, but also made a friend named Teo.

When they got to their story about the North Pole, all three of them spoke about their experiences. Katara at first wasn't allowed to waterbend, but she soon won the Chief and Master Pakku over. Sokka had fallen in love with the princess of the North Pole, named Yue, who I later found turned into the moon after she gave up her life to save the moon-spirit. Aang told me about his training, and about the Fire Nation invading. When he told me Zuko had managed to capture him only briefly, I was surprised. Zuko hadn't told me about that story… Aang noticed talking about Zuko upset me, and he quickly changed the subject discussing how he went into the Avatar state and was able to take out the whole fleet of Fire Navy ships, winning the battle and restoring peace to the Northern Water Tribe.

After the Northern Water Tribe, they made it to the Earth Kingdom where they ran into a crazy earthbending general, met Chong and his wife Lily, had to escape Azula and her crazy friends, got lost in a creepy swamp with weird swamp people who could waterbend, almost had Aang trapped in jail for life because he was accused of killing some village's general, and then ran into Toph who agreed to teach Aang earthbending. After running into Toph, that was when our two stories came together at last.

"Wow… You all have been through so many wild adventures," I said. My eyes stared down at the campfire as I pictured everything they had been through with a smile. "No wonder you all look stronger and wiser. It's good to know you stuck together through everything… I can't believe you actually fought a volcano too… I'm kind of jealous you got to see so much of the world."

The group fell quiet for a moment, not sure how to respond. Then finally Toph spoke for the first time since the group started their long account of their journey. "Well what about you, Princess? What happened on your journey?"

Her nickname for me didn't encourage me to speak. Shrugging, I answered, "Not much. I was usually one step behind you all so there isn't much to add."

Aang seemed to want to pry. "Come on, Crystal… We've been separated for months. Something exciting had to have happened."

I thought back to everything that had occurred over the last few months. As I did, I couldn't help but grimace as I realized they were nothing but memories now. "Well… I guess I can tell you a few things…"

They all listened as I recounted my adventures with Iroh and Zuko. I tried to avoid any topic of romance, and instead focused on my journeys. I told them about Zhao, and how I knocked him off his feet when he tried to sneak attack Zuko. I told them about the friends I made on the ship, and how I was utterly horrible at the game Pai Sho. I recalled getting to see the Earth Kingdom for the first time, and how excited I was to see so many knew things. I told them about being allergic to peonies, and having to save Iroh from a gang of Earth Kingdom soldiers. I spoke about the storm, and how I almost died but Zuko managed to save me, which earned looks of horror from everyone. I moved on to tell them about meeting June and her pet, but didn't mention that not even an hour later Zuko and I were sharing our first kiss. When I got on to tell them about Zhao coming on board, and how he paid the pirates to assassinate Zuko, they all were shocked.

"You were in an explosion!" Sokka had jumped up from where he was sitting, grabbing his hair in horror. "How did you survive?!"

I frowned and looked at the ground. "Zuko… He grabbed me and shielded me from the flames. We both crashed through the window, and landed in the water below. I managed to use my waterbending to get Zuko back to land… He almost drowned, but I was able to get the water out of his lungs… That was the day I learned I was a healer. I healed Zuko's burns which were ten times worse than my own."

"What about your burns?" Aang spoke up with worry. "You healed them too, right?"

I smiled weakly. "That wasn't exactly my top priority that day." I ran a hand through my hair. "Most of the burns were on my back anyway, so I wouldn't have been able to reach them." I decided to move away from that part of my tale. "Besides… There were other things to worry about… The three of us decided we needed to get onto Zhao's ships if we were going to get to the North Pole when he did. Zuko disguised himself as a soldier, and Iroh and I went to Zhao to pretend we were in grief over Zuko's death. The man believed us easily, and I was made Zhao's prisoner."

"WHAT?!" All three of them shouted this time. Toph stayed silent, having never met Zhao.

I grimaced at the three shouts, and quickly tried to calm them down. "It's okay! Iroh made sure I was safe. When we got to the North Pole, he had one of the soldier's named Hul help me escape. I used my waterbending to get to shore, and then made it into the Northern Water Tribe. Asok and Pakku made sure I was safe, and Asok even tried to get me to the palace. I wouldn't let him though… I was more worried about the fight, and I wanted to join in. Pakku of course made me leave when the fight got too rough. That's when I ran into Zhao again…"

I let out a heavy sigh.

"I would've been Zhao's prisoner once more if Zuko hadn't come to my rescue. He saved me… we both watched as Aang grabbed Zhao and pulled him into the canal. After that, the warriors came to try and capture Zuko… You all know the rest…" I shut my eyes. "I know betraying the Water Tribe probably hurt you all, and I'm sorry for that… But I couldn't let Zuko be captured… I couldn't imagine what they would do to the Fire Lord's son…"

Silence fell over us as everyone took in my words. Aang spoke up a moment later. "You did the right thing, Crystal… The monks once told me that sometimes the hardest decisions are the right ones."

"And besides… If you didn't help Zuko escape, then you probably would've broken him out of prison anyway." Toph added. "So either way, you would've ended up an outlaw."

My brother crossed his arms. "I'm not sure I agree with either of you." He looked at me with hurt. "Do you have any clue how worried I've been…? How do you think Katara and I felt when we learned you were nowhere to be found after the battle? How did you even get out of the North Pole? All of the ships were destroyed."

I grimaced, knowing my brother and sister had been worried sick. "Iroh found a raft… We floated away…" Hanging my head, I crossed my arms for comfort. "I can't say sorry for what happened at the North Pole, but I will apologize for the pain I put you all through. I know I made you worried…"

"It's not just that! The Northern Water Tribe marked you as a traitor! You helped the Fire Lord's brother and son escape! We could've ended this war!"

Sokka's words made me a little irritated. I looked up to meet his gaze feeling defensive. "End the war? Capturing Zuko and Iroh wouldn't have ended this war. Zuko's father doesn't care about either of them. If you want to end this war, then taking down the Fire Lord is the only way."

"Well either way, we could've gotten so much information out of them! We could've found the Fire Lord's weakness!"

I shook my head. "That's exactly why I helped them escape… I knew all you would want to do was torture them. If keeping Iroh and Zuko safe was a mark of my treachery, then I guess I'm a criminal to the Northern Water Tribe."

Sokka went to say something else, but Katara interrupted him. "You're not a criminal… We managed to smooth things over with the Chief. He said that as long as you apologize for your actions then you'll be welcome back to the North Pole. He was going to at first tell dad about your actions, but he changed his mind."

I couldn't help but cringe. "Well that was an effortless cause, because dad knows now. And this time I didn't just betray the North Pole… I betrayed our people too…

Katara was surprised. "What?"

I stood from my spot and turned from the group. "I sort of ran into Kona shortly after the Earth Kingdom… He had been headed from Ba Sing Se to rejoin the warriors… He and Jaka kidnapped me from Zuko and Iroh the next morning. I managed to escape them, and when I did I told them to tell dad I was a traitor. I'm sure father has received the message by now."

"Kona and Jaka… As in Bato's son and our cousin…? You ran into Jaka, and you didn't go with him…" Katara was appalled. "Crys… Why did you-"

Turning to my sister, the look I gave her was enough to stop her from talking. My eyes burned with tears, but they were tears of anger. "I refuse to be _dragged_ to father. I'm not some piece of property to be claimed. If I went with them my freedom would be crushed. I will not be forced into the role that the tribe wants me to be part of."

They were all confused by my words. I realized then they had no clue what I was talking about, because the arranged marriage between Areto and I was never shared among them. They didn't understand why I had been so desperate to escape Kona and Jaka. They didn't understand that by allowing the Southern Water Tribe to take me, I would be forced into a marriage I wasn't ready for. The last arranged marriage in my tribe occurred years before any of us were born. Such a practice has been unheard of, which is why Princess Yue's engagement had surprised them so much when they were at the North Pole.

"What are you talking about? What role?"

Sokka was the one to ask the question, and I could tell he was desperate to understand. With a heavy sigh, I dropped my arms to my side and answered, "The same role your princess had to play… When I turn sixteen, I'm supposed to be married to Bato's youngest son Areto… The arrangement was made by the council a few years before mom died."

Silence fell over the group as they took this in. Sokka was horrified. Katara was stunned. Aang and Toph were both shocked.

Sokka finally broke the silence. "Wh- why didn't anyone tell me? Why didn't _you_ tell me?"

I grimaced. "Father told me not to tell you both. He said he knew you and Katara would argue for me, and he didn't want me to create a ruckus in the village. He told me that I had a duty, and if I didn't respect his wishes then I would be dishonoring him. He seems to think uniting Bato's family with our own will strengthen the tribe, and establish a firm leadership."

"I don't believe it… Even after everything Gran-Gran had gone through with being engaged to Pakku… Why would father force you into such a thing?" Katara couldn't bear the thought of father doing such a harsh thing to his child. "I mean… Areto's a great guy, but I never pictured the two of you together…"

"This all makes sense though," Sokka suddenly said. "Why Areto was always around when we were kids… I can't believe I didn't pick up on this…" He stood then, and to my surprise, looked determined. "Don't worry, Crys. When we see father again, I'll make sure he gets some sense in his head. Once I tell him about Yue, he'll have to see the error of such a forced union."

I was surprised that Sokka was so willing to help me. I smiled with gratitude at his brotherly love and understanding. "Thanks, Sokka."

He nodded, and then added with a smirk, "Besides… If anyone's marrying my sister, they have to go through me first!" He came forward suddenly and put me in a headlock. I shrieked as he rubbed his knuckles against my head. "There's no way my little sister is getting married before me."

I shoved him off and patted my hair down. "I hate it when you do that."

He grinned. "I know."

Katara stood then, stating, "You keep too many secrets from us, Crys. From now on, nothing but the truth." She crossed her arms. "We're family. You need to trust us more with things."

Her words surprised me. I then realized she was still hurt I hadn't told them about my waterbending. "Sorry… I promise from now on I'll be fully honest."

She smiled. "Good. Glad to hear."

"If that's so," Toph suddenly spoke up. "Then tell the truth. You did at least kiss your prince guy, right? Because if not then that would've been a lame journey for you."

My eyes widened, and I felt my heart pound in my ears. A blush formed heavily on my cheeks. Sokka glared at Toph for bringing up the relationship between Zuko and I, Aang looked utterly curious, and Katara groaned.

"I… Uh… Well…" I fumbled over my words as the memory of Zuko's lips returned.

Toph beamed with victory. "I take that as a yes." She crossed her arms. "You two were alone together in the woods after all."

"Toph!" Katara whined.

I blushed harder, promising, "We've just kissed! It's no big deal."

She smirked at my embarrassment. "Not a big deal, eh? Then why does your heart sound like a fluttering butter-bee?"

"Alright! Change of subject!" Sokka tried to divert the conversation elsewhere.

Toph grinned. "You two were wrong about your sister. Looks like Crystal's not so innocent after all." She crossed her arms looking smug. "That's good to know. I was worried we were getting another Katara."

Katara gasped. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

Toph looked away and started to whistle. Aang laughed. Sokka was surprisingly amused by Toph's comment.

"Toph!" Katara snapped. "Answer me!"

She stopped whistling and looked over at me instead. "Warning, Crystal. Katara's the mom of the group."

Katara's jaw dropped. Aang and Sokka broke into laughs of unison.

A smile took over my embarrassment. "Really. Since when did this happen?"

"Since a child came into my life!" Katara pointed a finger at Toph. "If I'm a mom, it's because you're a brat!"

Toph seemed pleased by this title. "Brats have all the fun."

As Katara argued with Toph further, and Aang and Sokka tried to mediate the disagreement that was starting between the two girls, I felt myself relax. It was such a different group than the two men I'd originally been traveling with, but I knew I would get used to it all. There was a lot I didn't know about the whole journeying with the Avatar thing, but I was prepared to give it a shot.

As I thought this, however, I couldn't help but realize that deep down I would never be able to remove Zuko from my heart...

I knew that the way I felt for Zuko would never be understood or accepted by my family, and so I vowed to keep the bond I shared with Zuko to myself…

For now, I just wanted to be with my family…

From now on, I would do what I could to help Aang defeat the Fire Lord.


	29. The Gaang

**Hey Everyone,**

 **I am so sorry for making you all wait so long! I have had no time to write… College has been crazy with thesis and exams. I promise the next one will be much sooner because I'm going on winter break. Thank you for continuing to read, and for your reviews. I will try to be faster in the next chapters to come. Once again, I'm so sorry!**

 **Faithy waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 29: The Gaang**

The water moved through the air in a serpent motion, its flow following the movement of my hands. I could feel the rising sun beginning to make its presence known, and I tried my best not to think about the others who would be waking up soon. Instead, I concentrated fully on the water, trying to keep it steady in the air for as long as I could.

Since I'd woken up so early compared to everyone else, I decided to go seek out some water and practice my bending. I'd watched my sister bend yesterday as she did her evening practice, and when I did I realized one thing: I was a total amateur compared to her.

Katara had been able to train for weeks in the North Pole with an actual waterbending master. As much as I appreciated the training spars Zuko and I had together, I realized just how much I still had to learn. Katara could do so many amazing things with her waterbending. She was able to use one hand and create a powerful whip. She could throw her water so much further than I'd ever been able to. She barely broke a sweat as she created swirls in the air just for the fun of it. She never seemed to strain at all as she placed all focus on the element she had become one with.

The only time I could ever bend to my fullest power was when adrenaline set in. Apart from that, I was nowhere near the skill level that Katara had acquired.

I wanted so much to be like her.

"There you are," Aang suddenly said, causing me to gasp and drop my water back in the small puddle I had found under a rocky overhang. My heart pounded from his abrupt interruption. "I woke up and you weren't there. Are you practicing waterbending?"

I stared down at the water, dropping my arms to my side. "I was…" Turning to Aang, I asked, "Shouldn't you be getting ready for earthbending training?"

He grinned. "Yeah. Everyone else is still asleep. I thought I'd wake them up in a few minutes." He looked me over, and then smiled. "I thought maybe I'd see some of Sokka in you since you two are twins, but I don't really see any similarities despite your hair and skin color."

His words surprised me. However, I couldn't help but smile. "Thank goodness for that."

A laugh escaped him as he understood what I meant. "Yeah. One Sokka's enough." He then glanced over at the puddle again. "You know… Katara would probably be thrilled if you asked to train with her today. Toph and I will probably be earthbending a majority of the day, so you two might get bored."

I nodded, letting him know I was listening to his suggestion.

Aang continued. "Also, I wanted to tell you that I'm really excited to have you onboard the team. Now Katara and Sokka can both stop worrying so much. I told them you would be fine, but they would always stress about it. We can all finally relax now."

With a deep sigh, I spoke softly, feeling both embarrassed and ashamed. "Can I ask a question?"

Aang wasn't expecting it, but he overcame his surprise and nodded. "Sure Crystal… Anything."

I grimaced. "How angry were Sokka and Katara back at the North Pole…? I mean, after they found out about my betrayal and everything..."

The young airbender seemed to contemplate my question for a moment. He then met my gaze with more maturity than I expected from the twelve-year-old. "They were hurt that you chose the path you did, but they both calmed down and got to their senses. Katara never once stopped worrying about you, and Sokka did all he could to make sure he was strong enough to fight the Fire Nation and get you back." Aang suddenly placed a hand on my arm for comfort. "Your family never once stopped loving you, Crystal. Not even after the battle at the North Pole. Nothing you do will ever make them stop caring about you." He dropped his hand from my arm. "What's the past is the past. All we can do now is look forward."

I nodded, smiling in gratitude at his reassurance. I then bowed to show him my sincerest gratitude. "Thank you for keeping my family safe while I was away, Avatar Aang. I will never be able to repay you for watching over them."

When I stood back up straight, Aang was blushing from my compliment and rubbing the back of his neck. "There's no need to thank me…. Just being a good friend," he modestly spoke. "If anything, I should be apologizing to you." His statement took me of guard, and puzzle filled my expression. "I should've tried harder to get you back… I was honestly a little scared though… To tell you the truth, I'm not that great at fighting unless I go into the Avatar state."

I was surprised by his honesty, and I couldn't help but brush his apology aside. "You have nothing to be sorry for Aang. I wanted you to stay away from Zuko… That was the whole point of me attacking him back at the South Pole. The world needs you, and if you were captured on account of me I would feel awful."

He sighed heavily. "I get why you would think that way… But I can't get over the fact that I was too scared to try. What's the point in me being an Avatar, if I don't have the courage to fight? I should've gotten you back on day one, but I didn't have enough confidence I could do it."

I smiled. "I'll tell you something Iroh once told: It's better to be wise and live to fight another day, than to be a fool and die before tomorrow."

The words I quoted from Iroh seemed to cheer Aang up. He nodded in agreement. "This Iroh dude sounds really cool… I can see why Zuko and you were so worried about him after he was hit by Azula."

At the mention of Iroh, I felt concern come back to me. Was he okay? Had he woken by now?

Aang noticed. "Don't worry, Crystal. You healed him up pretty good. I'm sure he's fine."

I gave him small thanks, but I was still very worried. As Aang turned to head away, another thought hit my head, and I spoke again making him stop. "By the way Aang… Crys is just fine. Since your practically family, I don't mind."

He looked back at me with surprise, and then a grin spread across his face. "Alright! Crys it is!" He added. "I'm going to wake everyone for earthbending practice. Want to come?"

Staring back at the water, I debated what I wanted to do. I then let out a heavy breath, and nodded. "Sure. I'm right behind you."

When Aang and I got back to camp, the sun was up at last. Momo, Appa, Sokka, and Katara were still asleep at the campfire where I'd left them earlier, while Toph was still inside her rock made tent. As soon as we got into the camp, Aang was jumping with excitement.

"Today's the day! Can you believe it? After all that time searching for a teacher, I'm finally starting earthbending! And this place... i-it's perfect! Don't you think, Sokka?" He practically skipped over to Sokka, and was leaning over him. Sokka rolled over and gave Aang a sleepy irritated look. I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh. "Oh. You're still sleeping, huh?" My brother grunted and rolled back over pulling the sleeping bag over his head. "Sorry."

The earth began to shake only a second later, and Toph's tent burst into hundreds of pieces. At this point, Momo was jolted from his sleep and screeched running over to Appa. Appa didn't seem at all disturbed by the noise as he slept on. Katara was waking as well, and seemed just as irritated as Sokka for being woken up. I loved that about my brother and sister: they were not morning people, and would most likely never be.

"Good morning, earthbending student!" Toph exclaimed, walking over to Aang appearing excited to teach him as well.

Aang bowed slightly in respect. "Good morning, Sifu Toph!"

For some reason, this statement roused Katara from her sleep. She sat up with a pout, and whined, "Hey... you never call me Sifu Katara!"

Aang grimaced and scratched his head embarrassed. "Well… If you think I should…"

Sokka groaned and yanked his sleeping bag over his head burying himself deeper inside. Toph seemed amused. "Sorry, snoozles. We'll do our earthbending as quietly as we can." As soon as she finished, she slid her foot forward shooting a crack straight towards Sokka. The crack went under and sent him flying up in the air for a second, only to fall back to the ground with a thud.

Toph and Aang laughed. I couldn't help but feel entertained. Sokka was irritated. Managing to stand in his sleeping bag, he hopped over to Aang and Toph, grumbling incoherently. He then bounced away from us to go sleep near Appa and escape the commotion.

As Aang and Toph walked off to start training, I walked over to Katara who was rolling up her sleeping bag for the day.

"Katara… Um… Can I ask you something?" I stood beside her, my hand running through my hair with both embarrassment and uncertainty.

She looked up at me with question, and then stood to match my height. "Sure. Anything sis."

Taking in a heavy breath, I looked at the ground too nervous to meet her eyes. "This should be the other way around… I'm the older sister and should've been your guide…. But our paths didn't work out quite that way… What I'm trying to say… I mean what I'm trying to ask…" I bit my lip, hesitant.

"Crystal… Just ask the question. I'm not going to judge you."

Her kindness brought it out of me. Bowing, I hung my head with eager plea. "Will you be my waterbending teacher?"

My question hung in the air, and I waited for an answer. I knew Katara probably still felt sour towards me keeping my abilities a secret from her for so long. I didn't deserve to be taught by her for lying to her for so many years.

"Crys…" Her voice softened. "I'd be honored to have you as a student."

Relief flooded through me. Lifting my head, I gave her a smile of gratitude.

"One condition though," Katara began. "You have to forgive me for yesterday."

"Yesterday…?" I was puzzled. "What about yesterday?"

She grimaced, and this time hung her own head in shame. "I don't know what came over me. I was wrong to snap at you for the feelings you have towards Zuko… The first time I actually get to talk to you fully in so many months, and all I do is criticize you for things you can't control… You were right yesterday… I shouldn't jump to conclusions about Zuko and his Uncle. I don't know them the way you do." She crossed her arms. "I guess I just can't figure out how such a thing could happen… A waterbender and a firebender falling in love… It's like something from a crazy bedtime story."

I smiled weakly. "My life has felt like a wild story…" I then placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You don't need to apologize for yesterday though. I understand why you said the things you did. I was prepared for it before I even left Zuko." I took a moment, and then continued. "Nothing you say can ever make me think of you as anything less than my sister. I love you so much… Let's forget about yesterday, and just focus on today. Even though I know I'll miss and worry about Zuko, I'm happy to finally be reunited with my family. Being back with you and Sokka fills me with joy."

She seemed relieved by these words. "I'm glad… I was worried you'd be mad at me and want to leave…"

I shook my head. "This is where I want to be."

She nodded. Composing herself, she stated, "Well then. It's time to start your training."

After we ate some breakfast to energize us, which consisted of some fruit called a moonpeach, Katara and I ventured out to find a good source of water. The one I'd been using earlier would've worked, but Katara was convinced we could find more.

To my surprise, she was right.

After walking through the quarry for a few minutes, we came across a large area with a pool of water. I assumed the water was from collected rain that had fallen overtime. Katara thought for a second on where she should start, and eventually told me to show her what I could do. I knew she wanted to see what experience I had, and what else she could teach me.

As Katara stood aside and watched, I pulled some water out of the pool and let it hand in the air. My arms strained as I moved the water with both my hands in a serpant like manner. Katara told me to try and freeze the water in the air in the shape it was currently in. I attempted to do just that, but only half of the stream froze before my arms burned to their limit. Dropping the water, I felt embarrassed by my fail.

She told me then to make a wall of water, and she said to make one as high as I could. When I did just that, I couldn't help but feel my wall of water was probably pathetic compared to one she could make. I could only hold the wall up for thirty seconds before I was forced to drop it from strain.

She made me do a few more things, and each time I felt myself grow more and more ashamed. I was such a wimp compared to her.

"I think before we start learning new motions, you need to build your strength." Katara walked over to me and lifted my arm. "You won't be able to improve if you don't have the stamina to do so. We need to build your endurance first, and then we can move on to other things."

When Katara said she was going to help me build my endurance, I was uncertain what she meant. After a few minutes of waiting for her instruction though, I soon found out. Katara had me doing exercises I'd never thought to try. She froze blocks of ice, and had me lift them in the air. Each block she made weighed more than the last, and she would only let me move on to the next when I could hold the block in the air longer than a minute.

For an hour, I did all I could to show her I was eager for her teaching. As she watched, I did all I could to keep the heavy blocks in the air. My arms were killing me, but I didn't want to disappoint her. Whenever I would drop the block from pain, I would take a moments breath and try again.

I wanted to be stronger. I wanted to be able to protect the people I loved.

After failing for the thirtieth time at keeping the block in the air, I was covered in sweat and exhausted. Katara could tell, and told me I'd done enough for the day and we would continue tomorrow. In the meantime, she told me to wash up while she went to find me some clothes. She had some back on Appa that she had gotten from the Northern Water Tribe.

While Katara disappeared from the pool, I sighed heavily and wiped sweat from my brow. Then I managed to take off my light blue dress that the kind nomad named Lily had given me some time ago, and stepped into the cool spring. My shifts were still on covering me up, so I wasn't concerned about Aang or Sokka suddenly showing up. As I stepped deeper into the pool, I let my hands float on the water as my thoughts carried me away.

 **Katara POV**

Getting back to camp, I let out the deep sigh I had been trying to suppress. Sokka was still crouched in his sleeping bag, sitting against a rock when I came into the area. He heard me sigh, and looked over with question.

"What's wrong with you? Where's Crystal?"

His worry wasn't surprising. I answered him to cool his worries. "She's just washing up. We were training together."

He seemed to take in my words. Then he asked, "I thought that would make you happy?"

Crossing my arms, I looked away from him. "I'm more than happy to get to train with her… I'm thrilled to finally be with her again… It's just… Crys is different…"

"What do you mean… different how?"

Meeting Sokka's worried gaze, I answered, "She's got this spark in her eyes, Sokka… One I haven't seen before. After mom died, Crys had been so distant from everyone and she always looked like one wrong move would break her into a million pieces." I ran fingers through my hair, and then pulled at my braid. "She's not like that anymore though. She's stronger and more determined than I've ever seen her. She looks so alive… Her transformation from the time we've been apart is huge."

Sokka frowned. "Yeah… I noticed that yesterday when she told us about her feelings for Zuko. That weak and scared little sister I once tried so hard to protect has gone through a complete change… She definitely has grown into a confident person… In a way, she reminds me of mom…"

Nodding, I walked over to the bags by Appa and grabbed the pair of clothes I'd mentioned to Crystal I'd snatch for her. "Do you think she'll be okay…? I mean… Do you think we were wrong to encourage her to leave Zuko?"

The sleeping bag came off finally as Sokka walked over to me. Placing a hand on my shoulder, he reassured, "Crystal needed to come back to us, Katara. This is a good thing for her. Some distance from the enemy will remind her that the Fire Nation are all savages. She's been misguided for too long, and when she sees the horrible things the Fire Nation has done, she'll be reminded of who the true enemy is."

Another sigh escaped me. "I just want her to be happy to be with us, and not feel like she has to."

"If she wasn't happy to be with us, she would've never gotten on Appa in the first place," Sokka stated. "She didn't fight me when I told her it was time to go… She came without any resistance. I'm confident she's okay. Don't worry so much."

Nodding again, I turned and started to head back to Crystal. Sokka muttered something about finding some food as I walked off. I told him not to go far, and he told me to stop being a mom. Rolling my eyes, I headed out of camp once more.

When I got back to the pool of water I'd left Crystal at, I was about to let her know my return. However, I stopped and dropped the clothes with a gasp. Crystal was standing with her back to me, and I was horrified by the sight I saw. The explosion she had been in with Zuko had done more damage than she said. She had burn marks on her shoulders and shoulder blades. Below her chest bindings, I saw more burn marks extend down her back.

She'd heard my gasp, and turned towards me with question. When she saw my eyes, she immediately understood. Walking towards me, she managed to step out of the water. Crossing her arms self-consciously, she stated, "They didn't hurt that bad, Katara. No need to worry."

I calmed down, but I took a moment as thoughts ran through my head. If her back was that scarred from the explosion, she must've been in pain for days.

"I guess I owe Zuko a thanks…" I muttered, hugging the clothes to me and dropping my gaze from her. "If he hadn't been there to save you, there's no telling what would've happened…"

I couldn't even imagine the thought of losing my sister. We'd already lost mom to the Fire Nation… If Zhao had been successful in his attempt to kill Crystal, we would've lost her too.

Crystal managed to bend the water off of herself, and throw it back into the pool. Once she was dry, she stepped up to me and pinched me in the arm. I jumped at her sudden gesture.

"Quit worrying about me. I can fight my own battles, Katara." She took the clothes from me with a smile. "We need to worry more about the other three. Who knows what trouble they'll get into in the future."

I couldn't help but smile at her reassurance. "Yeah… We have a busy future ahead with those three."

 **Crystal POV**

Wearing Water Tribe clothing again felt so odd to me, but I honestly was happy to be back in the colors of my people. For the first time in months I felt like I was part of my people once again. Of course, that would never truly happen again because the Southern Water Tribe would banish me as soon as I stepped foot on land. I'd betrayed my people by falling in love with a firebender. I was positive that erased all ties I had to my people. My brother and sister may have forgiven me, but I knew the tribe wouldn't be so kind.

"The key to earthbending is your stance." Toph stood next to Aang, while Katara and I sat on a boulder to the side. We'd gotten back to camp after washing up, and found Toph and Aang were about to start actually bending. There were two giant boulders in front of them that waited to be lifted. Turns out, during the time Katara and I had been away all Toph had Aang do was jog around a bunch of boulders.

As Aang stood in a stance, I heard Sokka snicker beside me at how ridiculous the stance looked. Giving him a shove, he almost slid off the boulder beside me but managed to catch himself. He was still in his sleeping bag, which I told him to put away already. He argued that he was too comfortable to leave his warm cocoon. He gave me a playful shove and turned back to the show before us.

"You've got to be steady and strong. Rock is a stubborn element." Toph continued her teaching. She walked over to Aang and gave him a shove. He stumbled to the side frazzled. "If you're going to move it, you've got to be like a rock yourself."

Aang quickly recovered his stance and nodded. "Like a rock. Got it."

"Good. Now the actual motion of this one is pretty simple." Toph lunged forward and punched the air, causing one of the boulders to shoot off and hit the side of the canyon we were in. She turned back to Aang and gestured to his boulder. "Okay, you ready to give it a try?"

Aang took a wider stance and nodded. "I'm ready."

Aang shot his hand forward, but instead of earthbending he used aribending. The blast of air shot him backward and he flew into Appa's side who was chilling a few yards away. I grimaced at the impact, but calmed when I saw Aang recover.

"Rock beats airbender," Sokka muttered.

Toph sighed in dismay, and walked over to Aang who was brushing fur off of him. "This is earthbending, Aang, not airbending! You can't just blow the rock off the ground!"

He rubbed the back of his neck and walked back over to the rock. "Sorry… I'll try again."

He did try again. Again, and again, and again. After the thirteenth try, he finally let out a grunt of frustration. Katara walked over at this point confused.

"I don't understand what went wrong," Katara said, looking over at Toph. "He did it exactly the way you did."

"Maybe there's another way." He took up another fighting stance and began to walk toward the boulder. "What if I came at the boulder from a different angle?"

Toph shook her head. "No, that's the problem. You've got to stop thinking like an airbender." She knocked her fist lightly against the side of Aang's head. He winced. "There's no different angle, no clever solution, no trickity trick that's going to move that rock." She shoved Aang, and he cried out as he stumbled to the side. "You've got to face it head on. And when I say head on, I mean like this!"

Toph took a run and jump, smashing head on into the rock and breaking it into tiny pieces. We were amused... All of us except Katara that is.

Taking a step forward, Katara intervened. "I've been training Aang for a while now. He really responds well to a positive teaching experience. Lots of encouragement and praise. Kind words. If he's doing something wrong, maybe a gentle nudge in the right direction."

Toph seemed irritated. "Thanks, Katara. A gentle nudge. I'll try that." She stomped over to Aang grabbing his shirt collar. "Come on Twinkletoes. We're just getting started." As she dragged Aang off, Katara followed with disapproval. Momo chattered and ran behind them to catch up and watch.

While they went off in the distance, Sokka spoke. "How's about we go find some dinner for later?"

I nodded. "Sure. If you think it's okay to leave these three alone."

He nodded. "They'll be fine. They always act like this." He kicked off his sleeping back, and then slid off the rock. His boomerang was already in his hand, and I watched him walk off puzzled. Was he seriously sleeping with it?

A few minutes later we were walking off from camp keeping eyes peeled for anything to eat. As we walked, Sokka fell quiet beside me. I could see he wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to.

"You can ask me anything Sokka… I won't get mad…"

He was surprised, and then he sighed with defeat. "Katara and I were talking earlier… Something she said just got to me a little." He met my eyes as we continued trekking forward. "Are you happy to be back with us?"

His question took me off guard. I gave him a small smile of encouragement. "Of course, Sokka. You and Katara are my family. I'm so happy to be with you two again." I looked down at the ground in front of me kicking a loose rock as I did. "Besides… It's nice not having to worry about you and Katara possibly getting into trouble and me having no ability to help."

He rolled his eyes. "We don't get into that much trouble."

"That can be argued." I nudged him with my elbow. "It's good to be back with you two though… You've all grown up so much."

He grimaced. "Look who's talking. A year ago you were so weak and fragile… Now you look like you could even beat me in a fight."

"Doubt that, Mr. Water Tribe Warrior. You trained with the Northern Water Tribe. I've just started my training… I have so much to learn from you and Katara."

He looked up at the sky taking in what I said. "Don't sell yourself too short. Anyone who survives being under Fire Nation custody for six months is a true warrior. You're definitely stronger than any other girl I've met."

I smirked. "You've changed too. Your actually complimenting people. I didn't think you knew how to do that."

He grimaced and looked down at the ground. "Well… I… I was in love…"

I frowned. I hung my head as I knew what he meant. "I'm sorry about Yue… Katara told me you two really loved each other… I wish there was something I could've done…"

He shrugged. "I miss her and still think about her all the time… But I know she did what she felt she had to… She saved the world with her sacrifice…" He looked up at the sky again. "Every time I see the moon I'm reminded that she is still watching over me." A tear fell, and he quickly wiped it away.

Grabbing the crystal of my necklace, I knew what he meant. Anything to remember that the people we love never leave our hearts is an important thing to have.

"He gave that to you, didn't he…?"

I looked over to see Sokka was staring at the necklace clutched in my hand. Nodding, I looked down at the crystal with an ache in my heart. "He wanted to give me something to show he cared about me… He found it at a market. One of the soldiers who was with him told me he spent forever trying to figure out which one to get me... He was so nervous…"

"The Fire Prince being nervous… I can't even imagine it…"

"There's a lot of things about Zuko people don't understand… He reminds me of you sometimes."

Sokka was surprised and looked at me with question. "Me?"

Nodding, I explained. "He was always protective of me… and all he ever wanted to do was make his father proud and one day become a strong leader…" I frowned, at the sudden thought of my own father. "Dad would be so proud of you, Sokka… You're a good son… Looks like when we were born you got the better of our blood."

My brother stopped walking. I stopped with him, but didn't meet his eyes. "Crys… If you think for one second father will stop loving you for what you did at the North Pole, you're wrong. Dad loves you… He'll forgive you…"

Quickly, I decided I didn't want to talk about it anymore. "We should go look for food… It will get late soon."

Walking ahead, I heard Sokka let out a deep sigh from behind.

We searched for about an hour, and Sokka didn't bring back up father again. He could see I doubted his words, which I truly did. The leader of the South Pole would never forgive his daughter for betraying her people.

"There!" Sokka suddenly pointed at something in the distance. I followed his finger and immediately saw what he had seen. A baby mooselion was walking around, sniffing the ground as it went.

My eyes widened. "Sokka! We can't kill a baby!"

He held up his hand to silence me. "Meat is meat, Crys. You'll thank me later tonight." He inched forward and over to a tree. I watched with disbelief as he climbed up and managed to position himself onto the edge of a tree limb. The mooselion cub continued to wander around below, not seeming to have a care in the world.

"You're awfully cute, but unfortunately for you, you're made of meat. Just a bit closer..." He inched some more, and the mooselion walked below him. Holding the sword, he kept on his side, ready to attack, I knew immediately my brother wasn't going to succeed.

"Got ya!" Sokka jumped down and landed in a crevice beside the mooselion. Half his body was stuck in the ground. He went to the strike the mooselion with his sword, but the movement only sent him falling deeper into the ground. He dropped his sword in the process and his hands were stuck to him. His boomerang also landed a few feet beside him too, falling from his back.

The mooselion wagged its tail and stepped over to Sokka sniffing his hair.

"You're a lucky little meat creature…"

Walking over to him, the mooselion cub looked over at me with caution. Kneeling down, I held my hand out and the baby walked up to me. It pressed its snout against my hand, and made a happy squeak of delight.

"Great! Get it Crys!"

Ignoring my brother, I pet it on the head and said, "What are you doing out here all alone little guy? You should be with your momma."

"Don't coax it! Kill it!"

Looking back at Sokka, I could see he was struggling to escape the hole he'd put himself in. Leaving the cub, I walked over to him and grabbed his hands. Trying to pull him out of the hole, he yelped in pain. I quickly released him.

"Uh… I think I need an earthbender."

"Toph… Go get Toph!" He struggled some more. "While you do that, I'll try and wiggle out."

Rolling my eyes, I resisted the urge to tell him I didn't have much faith in his technique. Looking back at the mooselion, I asked, "You wouldn't mind keeping an eye on my brother for a little bit would you? I have to go find someone to help get him out of his mess."

The mooselion cub blinked at me, and then walked over to Sokka licking his hands.

I smiled. "Thanks. I'll be back soon."

Turning, I went to walk off. "Wait! What if momma shows up?"

I stopped and looked back at Sokka. "Then you'll have to explain to her why you tried to eat her baby." I started to walk again. "I'll be back soon."

He called after me as I headed farther away. "Grab me some food when you get back to camp. I'm starving."

Rolling my eyes, I couldn't help but smile. "You're always hungry, Sokka."

He said something else, but I didn't hear him. Walking off, I quickly made my way in the direction we'd come hoping Toph and Aang were at camp and not off somewhere destroying a canyon. As I walked, I was alone once more to my thoughts.

Walking through the quarry, I couldn't help but picture Iroh bandaged up and in pain. I'd healed him, but I was certain he was still sore from Azula's attack. At the thought, I wondered how Zuko and Iroh were doing… I knew worrying about them was ridiculous, but I couldn't help it. Iroh was like an uncle to me, and Zuko was…

Shaking my head, I bit my lip and tried not to think about it. If I thought about how much I missed him I'd only be an obsessed girl who couldn't get her head out of the clouds. My hand went up to the necklace, and I clutched it letting the crystal dig into my skin.

I'd see him again… I just had to be patient…

But what if I never saw him again… What if we were separated for good?

Stopping in my step, I looked down at the crystal in my hand. My heart ached as I thought about the one who gave it to me.

Zuko…

With a deep sigh, I rubbed a hand over my brows to try and break free from my thoughts. "Come on Crys… Focus…"

Just as I released my necklace, and went to take another step forward, a growl sounded before me. A gasp escaped me as I looked up and came face to face with momma saber-tooth mooselion.

Stopping abruptly in my step, I could see the very tall saber-tooth mooselion did not appear thrilled by my sudden presence. The animal's massive antlers that looked extremely sharp bobbed up and down as it stepped toward me. The eyes of the animal stared directly at me, and I could tell from its barred fangs it thought I'd done something to its baby.

Taking a slow step back, I thought maybe if I gained distance it might leave me alone. However, I was wrong. With a growl, the beast stalked toward me and I knew there was no time to convince it. The sharp fangs that looked ready to impale me convinced me not to stick around. Looking for any place I could go, I saw an area of rock on the side of the quarry I stood in that looked possible to climb up. The saber-tooth mooselion blocked my path to the others, but I knew I had to get past it somehow to tell everyone about Sokka.

Silently I cursed Sokka for not listening to me and trying to slaughter an innocent little moose-lion cub.

"Easy girl…" I took a step to the side, worried I'd only quicken my fate if I moved too fast. "Your baby's okay… promise."

The animal growled once more, and then charged. I gasped at its sudden movement, and took off towards my only hope. Rushing to the rise of rocks, I grabbed the side and managed to pull myself up. My upper body strength sucked, but I had enough to climb high so mama couldn't reach me. I could hear the animal growl from below as I climbed higher. Somehow I attempted to reach a flat layer of rock, and I pulled my body onto it. Catching my breath, I looked down to see mama saber-tooth mooselion jumping up at the rocks trying to get to me. Its paws weren't designed for climbing though, and so it dropped back to the earth in defeat.

Mama paced back and forth for what felt like a lifetime, and I wondered if she would ever leave. After a while though, she took off in the direction I'd come and I sighed with relief.

Managing to slide down from my platform on the quarry's wall, I looked back at the direction mama had run. That was a close call… At least I could get to the others now…

As I turned to head in the direction of camp though, my eyes widened with sudden realization.

"Sokka!"

Twisting on my heel, I ran back towards the direction I'd just come. The sun was starting to lower, and shadows began to fall over me. As I ran, I managed to find some water under a rocky overhang that had been caught in the crevice of a rock. Pulling it out, I raced back the way I came ready to physically stop mama sabertooth moose-lion this time.

When I arrived back at the open area where Sokka was still buried in the ground, I saw to my surprise he was still alone with baby sabertooth mooselion. Mama was nowhere to be seen. His hair was also out of its ponytail and loosely hung around him. I assumed the cub was the cause of his new hairdo.

"Crystal? You're back! Did you get help?" Sokka could see me from where he was still buried in the ground. He caught sight of my water hovering in the air, and looked puzzled. "What's going on?"

Baby sabertooth mooselion plopped down beside Sokka staring at my water with curiosity.

I let out a heavy sigh of relief. "You're okay… I was worried mama showed up."

His brows furrowed. "Mama?"

"Crystal! Sokka! There you two are!" Aang suddenly shouted from behind. I jumped and turned to see him running over to us. He stopped when he saw my water still in the air. "Uh… Crys… What are you-"

Sokka cut him off. "Aang! Thank goodness! Have you got any meat?"

Rolling my eyes, I snapped. "Really! That's the first thing you ask?!"

Aang walked over to Sokka and looked at his situation. "Sokka… Are you okay?" He bent down and grabbed Sokka's hands to pull him out.

Sokka yelped in pain at the tugging. "Stop, stop! You're going to pull my fingers off and I don't think the rest of me is coming!"

Aang stopped, backing up with uncertainty. "Hmm... I bet I can airbend you out of here." He suddenly shot a blast of air into the cracks around Sokka, but all his attempt did was cause Sokka's hair to blow up in the air. The boomerang had flown up in the process and landed with a thud on Sokka's head. When the air stopped, Sokka looked annoyed.

"Seriously, Aang, I know you're new at it, but I could use a little earthbending here. How about it?"

Aang grimaced. "I can't. I can't do it…"

Sokka seemed desperate. "If you can't earthbend me out of here, go get Toph."

"I can't do that either."

"You can't? Why not?"

Aang pouted and answered, "It would just be really... uncomfortable."

Sokka didn't look amused. "Uncomfortable?" He muttered. "Well, I wouldn't want to make _you_ feel uncomfortable."

Aang was oblivious to his sarcasm. "Thanks, Sokka. This whole earthbending thing really has me confused. There's so much pressure. Everyone expects me to get it right away. It puts me in a really awkward position."

I frowned, surprised by Aang's words. The poor kid had so much weight on his shoulder…

"Awkward position…" Sokka wiggled a little to try and give Aang the hint. "I think I know the feeling."

"If I try, I fail. But if I don't try, I'm never going to get it. I feel like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place."

"Hmm. How about that." Sokka seemed like he was ready tell Aang to get over it. He stopped though when the mooselionwalked around his head giving a squeak. "Oh Aang, this is my friend Foo Foo Cuddlypoops. Foo Foo Cuddlypoops, Aang."

Aang was surprised by the baby animal in front of him. "Aww, what a cute name for a little baby sabertooth mooselion cub." He picked up the animal holding it out at his eye level.

"Really?" Sokka seemed surprised. "He looks nothing like a sabertooth mooselion."

"It's hard to tell before their giant teeth and horns grow in. Whatcha doin' out here, little guy? Did you lose your mama?"

I finally spoke up, still holding my water in the air. "No… Mama's here. I just don't know exactly where."

Aang looked over at me with question. "You saw mama?"

Nodding, I answered, "She definitely is protective. She had me cornered. I had to climb up on some rocks to get away from her."

Sokka turned anxious. "Oh no! If she shows up I'm dead! Aang! You have to earthbend me out of here."

Aang groaned. "I can't Sokka!"

I had a suggestion. "Maybe if I try and break some of the dirt u-"

A growl sounded cutting me off, and my eyes widened knowing just who it belonged to. Looking over at a line of shrub nearby, I saw my old friend. Mama emerged into the opening, her teeth barred as she stared at Aang who still held her baby.

Aang was surprised. "Hey, there... we found your cub!" He smiled and raised the baby in the air, who yawned in reply. The mama growled in rage and Aang slowly placed the baby to the ground. The baby raced over to its mother and darted into the bushes. _"_ See? We have no problem with you! We're friendly."

The mooselion didn't look convinced. It growled and stepped forward.

"Aang, this is bad! You gotta get me outta here!" Sokka started to squirm faster.

The mooselion roared and charged forward towards Sokka. I gasped and whipped my water forward so the stream smashed into the mother. The animal was knocked back and fell on its side momentarily stunned. As it lied there, I grabbed what water I could save from drying up into the dirt. It was less than before, but enough to attack again.

"Great job, Crys!" Sokka's praise wasn't exactly what I needed at the moment.

The mama scrambled back to its feet and darted towards me. I gasped and threw what water remained at the beast. She was smarter than before. She managed to dart to the side and continued to charge at me. Aang suddenly landed beside me and wrapped an around my waist. I shrieked as he used airbending to jump us both over mama mooselion. We landed clumsily a few yards away.

Aang released me and turned back to the animal. The mooselion roared with rage.

Sokka was terrified. "This is really bad! Please, Aang! You have to earthbend me out, there's no other way!"

Aang tried to do just that as mama mooselion raced forward. He was unsuccessful. "Oh no!" Aang leaped on a rock away from Sokka to get the mooselion away from my brother. He called to it to distract the animal. "Whoo-hoo! Look at me!"

The mooselion growled and ignored Aang stalking toward my brother. Aang leaped off the rock and shot a gust of air at the mooselion causing her to be forced away from Sokka. It managed to land a few feet away and spin towards Aang. Aang landed near Sokka, ready to protect him again.

I felt concerned for both Aang and my brother's safety. "This isn't working!"

The mooselion charged again towards the two. Aang got into his defensive stance, ready to blow more air at the animal. He shot air as the animal got within a few feet of him, and the beast was forced backward. It hit the ground with shock, and then decided it had enough. Scrambling to its feet, it raced away from Aang back in the direction its baby headed.

After a good minute of staring at the spot which the animal had disappeared, the danger was over. All three of us sighed with utter relief.

A clapping sound suddenly echoed from somewhere nearby though, making the three of us jump. We all shot our eyes over to Toph who was suddenly seen seated on a rock a good distance away.

Sokka wasn't amused. "What are you doing here?"

Toph smirked. "Just enjoying the show."

"What?" Aang was bewildered and irritated. "You were there the whole time?"

She grinned. "Pretty much."

Aang pointed accusingly at her. "Why didn't you do something? Sokka and Crystal were in trouble! I was in trouble! You could've gotten him out and helped us get away!"

She shrugged. "I guess it just didn't occur to me." She suddenly pulled a nut out of her pants pocket and tossed it on the ground. Pulling out a familiar looking staff from behind her, I was surprised to see her with Aang's precious possession. She slammed the staff down on the nut, breaking it open.

"Enough! I want my staff back!" He stomped over to her and grabbed it from her hands.

She stood as soon as he did and ordered, "Do it now!"

Aang was still irritated. "What?"

"Earthbend, twinkletoes. You just stood your ground against a crazy beast, and even more impressive, you stood your ground against me. You've got the stuff."

Aang was shocked. I was bewildered by Toph's praise.

"But…"

She cut him off. "DO IT!"

Aang glanced at her with confusion, and then stomped down shoving his fist forward. To my surprise and his, he caused a large rock to shoot off and crash into a ridge _._

Toph was thrilled by the results. "You did it! You're an earthbender."

His eyes lit up with joy. **"** I can't believe it!"

"Great job, Aang!" I stepped over and squeezed his arm. "You were great!"

Sokka's voice suddenly broke through our praise. "Aww, this is really a wonderful, touching moment. So, could you get me out of here so I can give you all a big, snuggly hug?"

Aang confidently exclaimed, "No problem, Sokka!" He turned to assist my brother, but Toph quickly stepped in.

"Actually, you should probably let me do that… You're still a little new to this. You might accidentally crush him."

Both Sokka and I grimaced. Sokka said with plea, "Yeah… no crushing please."

Toph walked over to him, and then lifted her foot. Stomping down, Sokka popped slightly out of the hole. Toph stepped over and grabbed his hair pulling him out completely. As Sokka struggled to stand because his legs were asleep from being trapped for so long, I walked over and let him put an arm around my shoulders for support.

About an hour later, just as the sun was beginning to fade and night approached, we managed to make it back to camp.

Katara was thrilled to see us, and raced over crying, "You found them!" She ran over to Sokka and I, and hugged us both. "I was worried sick about you two!"

When she pulled away, Sokka spoke. "The whole time that I was in that hole, not knowing if I would live or die, it makes a man think about what's really important. I realized..."

Aang interrupted his long thoughtful speech. "Hey Katara! Look what I can do!"

We all turned to see him fling his hand towards a boulder which broke it in half. Katara was thrilled. "You did it! I knew you would!"

As Aang went over to show Appa and Momo his skills, I asked the others, "Are your days always like this?"

Sokka and Katara looked at one another and then nodded to me. Toph spoke up. "I just joined the team and already have gray hairs."

I grimaced. "This is going to be a long journey then."

Sokka nudged me in the arm. "You know you're having fun."

I shoved him off. "Yeah… Almost getting trampled on for messing with a baby moose-lion cub was a blast."

Aang suddenly shouted, "Hey guys! I'm going to move this boulder! One of you stand on it so I can practice lifting you!"

Toph's brows rose. "Wait twinkletoes! You're rushing way too into this!" She rushed over to stop her pupil.

Katara sighed heavily. "I'm going to start dinner. We have some rice and vegetables still."

"No meat though," Sokka pouted.

"I'll catch you some fish tomorrow if I can," I promised. "There's bound to be a pond or creek around here somewhere."

Sokka beamed and hugged me. "I'm so glad to have you back!"

My face was pressed into his shirt. Trying to wiggle from his hold, I said, "Sokka! Can't breathe!"

Katara laughed somewhere in the background.


	30. The Southern Water Tribe Warriors

**Hey everyone,**

 **I'm still working on the next chapter of Crystal's journey and hope to be done soon. Until then, I wanted to write a small chapter on how Hakoda feels about the news, and introduce you to Areto. I wanted to give a face and voice to the dude she's been arranged to marry.**

 **Quick note: Hakoda hasn't received word yet that Crystal is with the gaang.**

 **Thanks! And I hope to be done with the next chapter very soon.**

 ** _Faithy Waithy_**

* * *

 **Third Person (Southern Water Tribe Base Camp: Earth Kingdom Eastern Sea Shore)**

A man in his late forties, with dark brown hair and tinted skin walked into the large blue tent that was set in the center of the camp. The camp had about ten other tents dispersed around the main, and off shore four southern water tribe boats were anchored. Thirty men were seated or walking around the camp, their ages varying from the youngest being nineteen up to the oldest who was in his late fifties. Other men were on the boats off shore, making repairs to sails and preparing for travel.

Inside the tent, the man stepped up to another who was cross-legged on the floor covered with fur pelts; he was analyzing a few maps sprawled out before him. He appeared in his late forties, some of his dark brown hair tied back in a high ponytail while the rest hung down. He had two strands on the right side with beads at the end. A short beard decorated his face.

"Any word from the group yet?"

The man seemed anxious as he waited for his chief to answer. Hakoda looked up at his good friend with serious eyes. "They'll be here soon, Bato. I know you're worried about your son being sent off on his own, but Kona is a strong young man. He is one of the strongest warriors apart from his brother."

Bato sighed, and then sat down in front of him. "I know… I guess I'm just freaking out too much… It's his first venture out alone."

"Jaka is with him, and Hoka and Ruja went to meet up with them. They're some of the youngest, but they are wise young men. You know I wouldn't send them out on their first venture without concerning myself over their safety."

He nodded. "I just expected them back by now."

"They'll be here. Just be patient."

"Yeah… You're right…" Bato met his friend's gaze, and then asked, "On another note… How are you holding up? I heard you received word from the Northern Water Tribe about Crystal…"

Hakoda let out a heavy sigh. "Guess gossip is still a problem…"

Picking up the scroll beside him, he handed it to Bato. As Bato read it over, Hakoda crossed his arms with concern.

"She managed to escape from the Fire Nation briefly…" Hakoda spoke, remembering everything he'd read. "She was captured again by the Fire Lord's son. She's still being held captive and is who knows were… Or so that's what the report says," Hakoda shut his eyes. "Sokka and Katara are still traveling with the Avatar."

Bato finished reading the report, and placed it down beside him. "It says Crystal fought hard to try and stop the Fire Nation though… She's still got some spunk in her."

"My daughter hasn't had spunk since her mother died, Bato… I still will never understand what she was thinking when she attacked the Fire Lord's son at the South Pole. I told her not to be rash… She already has one scar from the enemy… I can't imagine her receiving another…"

"I know you've been worried about her ever since I told you what Sokka and Katara told me… She'll be okay, though. She's stronger than we know. Obviously the Northern Water Tribe was impressed with her strength to emphasize it so much in the report."

Looking back down at the maps, Hakoda frowned. "I know she's strong… But I also feel terrible for not being there to protect her. I should've been there when the Fire Nation came… I didn't protect her…"

Bato seemed uncertain. "Are we talking about this year, or are you referring to that awful day so long ago?"

Chief Hakoda's fists tightened. "We should've never left them so vulnerable… I never thought the Fire Nation would actually come back to our shores."

"How could you have? We made sure we were undetectable… The Avatar's arrival changed everything…"

"Father!" A sudden voice shouted from the entrance of the tent. The two men jumped at the intruder's call.

The young man at the entrance was tall and lean, and was the youngest of the group. However, for being the youngest he had some muscle that was visible through his long sleeves. He had his father's chin, skin tone, and dark brown hair color. He kept his hair tied back in a long ponytail, and wore similar blue water tribe wear to that of his father. His eyes were a deep blue like his father's, and but his mannerism was softer.

Bato stood and turned to his youngest son with concern. "Areto… What's wrong?"

"Kona's returned," Areto spoke, trying to catch his breath. "He and Jaka said they have something urgent to tell the Chief!"

Hakoda's eyes widened. Immediately he stood. "Where are they?"

"Right outside. They're resting from their journey, but desperately need to speak with you."

"Tell them to get their butts in here."

Areto nodded, disappearing from the tent entrance.

Bato looked uncertain. "Do you think the Earth King refused our request?"

"I don't see why he would," Hakoda stated. "We're offering assistance to defeat the Fire Nation swine. How could he refuse?"

Only a second later, Areto entered the tent once more with his older brother Kona and Hakoda's nephew Jaka. The two looked exhausted from their long travel, but also appeared anxious to get what they had to say off their chest.

Hakoda was quick to the point. "Jaka! Kona! What's the urgent message? Did the Earth King deny our request?"

Kona shook his head. "No Chief… We have permission to make camp at Chameleon Bay. The report is here." He pulled a scroll out from where it was wedged between his belt and waist. Handing it over to Hakoda, he met the man's eyes with guilt. "That's not the urgent news…"

Areto, Bato, and Hakoda waited for either Kona or Jaka to speak. Kona stepped back and sighed heavily. He shot Jaka a look, and the other frazzled young man nodded.

Jaka looked at the two men to speak for Kona. "It's about Crystal, Uncle…"

Hakoda's skin turned a shade paler. Thoughts of his daughter came flooding to his head. His eyes went wide. "Wha- what about her?"

Jaka seemed unsure if he should continue. He nudged Kona in the side, and hissed, "You're the one who found her. Tell him."

Kona looked over at Jaka with a glare. "You're his nephew! You tell him!"

Hakoda's patience was wearing thin. "Tell me what?!" His fists tightened. "What has happened to Crystal?"

Areto showed signs of worry as well. "Is she okay?"

The two young men glanced over at Areto, and then back at the chief. Kona let out a heavy breath. "You may want to sit down, sir… You're not going to like this."

Hakoda said nothing, but he did sit down worried his strength would leave him at the message he was about to receive.

"Don't tell me… She's-"

"No Uncle! She's alive," Jaka quickly reassured. "I mean… We were worried she drowned at first, but a couple of travelers told us they had run into her and she was okay."

Kona grimaced. "Yeah… Those annoying singers…"

Jaka continued. "She's still with the Fire Lord's son…" He paused, dreading what he was about to say next. "She made sure of that…"

His last words struck a wave of confusion through the other men in the room. Bato spoke this time. "What? What do you mean?"

Kona finally jumped in, although he showed no comfort in doing so. "You see… I ran into Crystal on my way back from the Earth Kingdom city. At first I saw her with these two travelers disguised as Earth Kingdom nomads… I quickly understood though that they were the Fire Lord's brother and son. I tried to get Crystal to come with me, but she refused… She told me she didn't want to leave them…"

Hakoda's mouth dropped. Kona wasn't done though.

"I didn't have much of a choice but to leave. I knew if I tried to drag her off in the daylight then prince boy and his Uncle would gang up on me. I made the decision to come back for her that night. I managed to follow them to their camp to see where they were. Once I had their location, I headed to the meeting spot where Jaka was waiting for me. I told him everything, and the two of us returned to their campsite in the night. We managed to snatch up Crystal without alerting the other two men…. She fought us the whole way though…"

Jaka finished the tale, seeing Kona didn't want to go on. "She was dedicated to escaping us and returning to her captors… She kept spewing out nonsense about loving the Fire Lord's son… She wouldn't listen to reason and jumped off a cliff to escape us… She fell into the river, and that was the last we saw of her… We tried to get her, Uncle… She was too determined to escape though…"

Bato was amazed. His youngest son Areto was bewildered. Chief Hakoda was horrified.

The chief looked pale as he asked, "Are you telling me… she went with her captors because…" He stopped, his breath shaking. "My daughter… In love with the Fire Nation prince… This can't be…"

As Hakoda thought over something he never thought possible, Bato decided to speak.

"She's been with the Fire Lord's son for months, Hakoda… He's probably been deceiving her about us. She may be terribly confused."

"Or actually in love," Areto suddenly muttered. Everyone looked over at the youngest in the room who had his arms crossed and didn't look thrilled with the conversation. He shut his mouth when he saw the attention he grabbed.

Bato clamped a hand on Areto's shoulder in reassurance. "Don't worry, son… We'll find a way to get her back. You haven't lost her."

This part irritated the man. He yanked his shoulder from his father. "Dad… I told you already… I'm not marrying her because of some stupid arrangement you two made. I've argued this so many times."

Hakoda remained silent. Jaka and Kona were surprised by Areto's words.

"Areto… We've been over this," Bato said. "We need you and Crystal to marry… A strong union will be promising for the tribe who has lost so much."

"She's like a sister to me… I don't feel for her any more than I feel for other women in the tribe. Besides… I don't want us to be forced to marry if she loves another..."

Hakoda let out a heavy breath. "Areto… She knows what's best for this tribe. I'm not sure what's going on in her head right now, but I'm confident she'll realize her fancies for this prince are false and try to escape again."

Areto shook his head, and looked out of the tent to avoid everyone's gaze. "I don't think so… If what Kona speaks is true, Crystal seems to really care for this guy…. I don't want to force her into marrying me… Besides… I don't really think I want to get married…"

Jaka and Kona decided it was time to make their leave.

"Well… I think Kona and I are going to finish unpacking with the others," Jaka muttered. He grabbed Kona's sleeve and the two men departed.

Areto was left alone in the room with Chief Hakoda and his father Bato, both men looking at him with bewilderment.

"What do you mean you _don't_ want to get married?"

Areto met his father's eyes. "Just that. I don't want to marry Crystal… I want to be a master swordsman. I've already decided after the war I'm going to go train at the North Pole."

Hakoda sighed heavily. "Areto… you have to understand. Our tribe has lost so much. A marriage between you and Crystal will be a sign of hope for the future."

Bato added, "The elders of the tribe agree that you and Crystal are a perfect match."

"Elder Kanna doesn't…" he argued. "And neither does mom. They both think Crystal and myself should have a say."

Hakoda sighed at the mention of his mother-in-law, Kanna. He wasn't thrilled that she had encouraged her grandchildren to chase after the avatar and journey with him. "We'll discuss this another day… For now I need to decide what to do about my daughter…"

Areto frowned. He said nothing more to Hakoda or his father. Turning on his heel, he walked out of the tent with defeat. As he went, he recalled a discussion he had with Crystal three years ago. He and the warriors had gone home for a few weeks to be with their loved ones. Areto had just been leaving the campsite when Crystal ran up to him.

 _"_ _Areto!" A familiar voice brought the eighteen-year-old to a halt. His hair was in a high topknot, and he was covered from the neck down in furs. The night air was freezing, so when he turned to see a thirteen-year-old Crystal running towards him with nothing but boots and her thin clothes he was shocked._

 _Her face was red from the cold licking her skin, but she didn't seem to care. Instead, she came to a stop in front of Areto. She looked to have been crying, which took Areto by surprise. He couldn't help but glance at her scar which decorated her face. He could remember the day she got it. He could remember how they all thought she wasn't going to survive the night._

 _"_ _What are you doing? You're going to get sick?" He went to take off his coat to put it over her. She grabbed his arm to stop him._

 _"_ _Did you know?" Her voice trembled as she spoke. "Did you know about the arrangement?"_

 _Her question took him off guard. He was puzzled by her sudden question. However, he quickly knew what she was referring to._

 _"_ _Yeah… I've known…"_

 _She ripped her hand away as if he burned her. "Tell them to forget about it! Tell them you don't want to do it!"_

 _Her pleas made him frown. "You don't think I haven't tried…? I don't like this anymore than you do."_

 _"_ _They'll listen to you! I know they will!"_

 _Areto felt awful for having kept the truth from Crystal for so long. He felt there was nothing he could do about it though._

 _"_ _Crys… I'm not thrilled about this, but I can't go against my father."_

 _She shook her head. "You can!" She looked up at him with desperation. "I don't see you that way, Areto! You know you don't see me that way either! We're friends… We're not meant to marry one another!"_

 _"_ _Crys… I know what you say is true… but it's not that easy…"_

 _"_ _It is!"_

 _She shut her eyes and tightened her fists as more tears fell. Ice suddenly formed between them. His eyes widened when he saw this. Looking at Crystal, he saw she didn't even seem to notice. He knew though… At that moment he understood… She was a waterbender. He decided to keep this knowledge to himself. If she hadn't told others, she definitely wouldn't want him spreading it around._

 _"_ _Crys… Your father feels this is best for you… After everything you've been through, he wants to make sure someone's there to protect you in the end…"_

 _"_ _I don't need protection!" The ice spread to the point where it formed beneath his boots._

 _"_ _Calm down…" He reached forward. "You need to calm-"_

 _She hit his hand away before he could touch her shoulder. Her blue eyes looked at him with betrayal. "You're just like them all…" She stepped back. "You all think I need someone to protect me… I'm not weak… I don't need you to marry me! I'm not some broken and damaged girl who needs someone to direct my future!"_

 _He dropped his hand to his side. "No one thinks that way."_

 _"_ _Yes they do! That's all anyone thinks!" She covered her face. "I'm so tired of everyone looking at me as if I'm a memory of the past! I'm so tired of being defined by my scar!" She turned to the side, trying to hide her face. "I wish you all would just leave! Go back to your damn war and leave me alone!" She turned on her heel and ran._

 _"_ _Crystal!" He went to race forward, but stopped. A hand grabbed his coat sleeve._

 _"_ _What did you do to my sister?!" Sokka's voice snapped from behind him. Turning, he met Crystal's overprotective twin Sokka, who was just starting to grow past his chin._

 _Jerking from him, Areto defended, "I didn't do anything to her. I'm not to blame for any of this."_

 _He was surprised by Areto's defense. He narrowed his eyes. "If I find out you're to blame though, I'm coming back for you!" He took off to follow after his sister who had disappeared into the dark shadows of the night._

Letting out a heavy sigh, Areto sat on a large piece of driftwood beside the lapping waves. His whale-tooth sword rested in his lap as he paused his sharpening. He wished his father, Hakoda, and the other elders would listen to him. He wished people would respect him and Crystal's wish.

Something deep inside him knew that Crystal was truly in love with the Fire Lord's son. He wasn't upset about it though… He didn't love Crystal the way his father and Hakoda wanted him too. He didn't want to marry… He wanted to train and fight… He wanted to travel and see the world on his own…

"Areto… There you are."

His older brother Kona headed over to him. He was wearing a fresh set of clothes and looked to have cleaned up in the last hour that had past.

"Go away, Kona," he snapped, running the stone against his sword again.

"Don't be bitter…" Kona muttered. He stepped over and crossed his arms. "I know you're not thrilled with this, but you shouldn't let it damper your mood… We'll get her back one day."

Areto sighed heavily. Standing, he dropped the stone and sheathed his sword. "Crystal's not the girl you all think she is. She may look weak, but I've known her for a long time. She knows what she wants." He turned and looked at his brother with hard eyes. "I know what I want too. Dad and Chief Hakoda can't force the two of us together just because they want to unite the family. I'm not going to marry a girl who is in love with another. I want to find someone who actually wants to be with me."

"She'll change her mind once she-"

"She hasn't been brainwashed," he interrupted Kona. "You all act like she's doing everything against her own will. I know Crystal. She fights for what she wants. If she jumped into a river to escape you and her cousin, then it's pretty clear she has genuine feelings for this guy."

Kona sighed heavily. "Even so, she's in love with the enemy. It's a futile romance." He turned and went to walk away. However, he stopped and looked back at his brother. "Marriage isn't the end of the world. When we get Crystal back, you'll see it's not that awful…" He turned and walked off into the woods.

Areto scowled. "You're not the one who has to get married," he muttered. Standing and crossing his arms, he stared at the setting sun. "Don't worry, Crys… I'm not giving up…"


	31. Mini-Vacations

**Hey Everyone!**

 **Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Or happy other holiday or celebration I have not named! Here is the next chapter as my present to you all. It is a long one! Thank you for your support and reviews!**

 **Faithy waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 31 (Back to Crystal's POV):**

"You're straining… I told you not to go so fast."

I gasped and dropped the water back into the pond. Sweat beaded down my forehead, and my arms burned like crazy. Without hesitating, I moved my hand forward again and lifted the water into the air with one hand.

"Concentrate," Katara said. "Don't think about your other hand. Use only one."

I tried my best to concentrate, but Katara's words kept replaying in my head distracting me.

 _Why does she make this look so easy?!_

"Come on Crystal. Just a little higher. You're so close!"

I tried to lift the water more, but my hand cramped up and I lost control. Dropping the water again, I rubbed my hand over my brows trying to wipe off the perspiration. "I think I'm going to go back to the last move," I muttered. "I can't get this one."

"One more time," Katara encouraged. She stepped closer, and I could see her kind smile from the corner of my eyes. "You can do it!"

Letting out a heavy sigh, I looked back at the water before me. We'd been at it for an hour, and I still couldn't lift a stream of water higher than two of me combined. I could do it fine with two hands manipulating the molecules, but using only one hand was much more difficult. When Katara did it twenty minutes ago, she made it look like the easiest move in the world. I wanted so much to be like her. I was such an amateur compared to her skills.

"Fine… One more time…"

Holding my hand out towards the water again, I slowly lifted my hand up and made the molecules follow my movements. As I lifted my hand slowly, the water followed. I breathed in and out in slow motions. As the water began to stream up past my head, I felt my arm strain again but I kept going. I felt thrilled as I moved the water higher and higher, and I wondered if I would actually succeed. I was so close…

"Crystal! Katara!"

I gasped and dropped the water, my hand falling to my side as I twirled around to look at the intruder. Aang dropped down in front of us, shutting his glider as he did.

"Aang… What's wrong?"

Katara jumped to conclusions, and I stared back at the water with defeat. Another day…

"I want to show you both something! I was going to just show Toph and Sokka, but I decided you two would like it as well." He reached forward and grabbed Katara's hand. "Let's go before it's too late." As he pulled Katara off, I sighed heavily and glanced at the water one last time.

 _One day I'll be stronger…_

"Crystal! Come on!"

Aang's call made me turn around and follow after him and my sister. When we got back to where the others were, I saw Appa was taking his nap still. The poor guy had been flying us for a few hours now, and I knew he was exhausted. Momo chattered as he stood in the middle of an empty space surrounded by a bunch of holes.

"Okay! Everyone stand back and watch!" Aang took a seat cross-legged on the dirt, and pulled something out from inside his shirt. I noticed it was a flute carved from wood. It reminded me of the flute Ku played on Zuko's ship during music night.

My brother looked at the holes in the ground puzzled. "What's out here?"

Toph spoke up as she knelt to the ground and placed her palm on the dirt. "A lot actually… There's hundreds of little-"

Aang turned with his finger over his lips. "Shhh! I know you can see underground, but don't ruin the surprise. Just watch."

He turned back towards the holes and placed the flute mouthpiece under his mouth. Playing a note, a creature suddenly popped out of the hole and made the same sound. Then the small animal disappeared back into the hole. I knew from the look of the animal that it was a prairie dog.

"Heheheha, yeah!" Aang excitedly cheered. He played a few more notes and the prairie dogs rose up from their holes copying him with their calls. "I'm putting an orchestra together!"

"Orchestra, huh? Well la dee da," Sokka muttered, moving his hands from side to side. He wasn't amused, and I knew why. He was more focused on the battle at hand than on the Avatar's side adventures.

Aang smirked and began to play some more. As he played each note, a new prairie dog would pop its head out of the dirt and sing the same tune. Momo chattered and went to grab one playfully but missed. As Momo tried to catch one of the creatures, I turned and walked over to Appa who was watching with what I took to be amusement. Patting Appa on the spot on his foot I knew he liked, I felt the giant flying sky bison nudge me with his nose.

Sokka stepped up to Aang and placed his finger at the other end of the flute. The air going out was cut off, and instead the air shot back into Aang's mouth causing him to have puffy cheeks.

Sokka quickly stated, "This is great and all, but don't we have more important things to worry about? We should be making plans." He unplugged his finger and looked down at Aang with expectancy. He hoped the Avatar would side with him.

Toph quickly spoke in defense. "We did make plans. We're all picking mini-vacations."

Stepping away from Appa, I said, "A vacation in the middle of the Earth Kingdom where the Fire Nation roams isn't exactly relaxing. We should be training… We have to be ready for anything."

"I'm learning the elements as fast as I can," Aang promised. "I practice hard everyday with Toph and Katara. I've been training my arrows off."

Katara nodded. "Yeah. What's wrong with having a little fun in our downtime?"

Sokka crossed his arms. "Even if you do master all of the elements, then what? It's not like we have a map of the fire nation. Should we just head west until we reach the Fire Lord's house?" Sokka mimicked knocking on the Fire Lord's door. "Knock, knock! Hello, Fire Lord? Anybody home?" He leaned towards Aang _,_ closing his fists and dropping them to his sides. "I don't think so. We need some intelligence if we're gonna win this war."

Toph shrugged. "Ask Princess. She was with the Fire Nation for months."

The group all looked at me. I grimaced. "I… I don't really know much… Zuko and Iroh didn't exactly discuss the Fire Nation's secrets with me."

"What about a location? Weaknesses? Allergies?" Sokka grabbed my shoulders. "There has to be something we can use against the Fire Lord."

I frowned. "The Fire Lord only cares about one thing… He wants power, and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants."

"Come on Crystal! Something!" He shook me, and I cringed from his rough movement.

"Sokka!" Katara stepped over. "She doesn't know. Knock it off!"

Sokka released me in surprise. I stepped back crossing my arms in dismay. My thoughts suddenly moved to Zuko and Iroh… If they were with us, they would have the answers… If Zuko were with me now, we'd have all the intelligence we needed.

At that moment I realized how much I was beginning to miss the company of my two companions. We'd been together for months. I'd only been with the gang for a few days.

"Crystal wasn't focused on intelligence. She was focused on surviving," Aang stated. "Besides… Zuko and his uncle don't exactly seemed focused on the war as much as they are on capturing me."

"Aang's right…" I said softly. "They didn't talk much about the war plans… Although…"

"What?" Sokka looked at me with desperate eyes.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Well… There was Zhao who blabbered about the Fire Nation…"

"What did he say?" Aang seemed interested now. "What's the Fire Nation planning?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "They're planning on hitting the Earth Kingdom head on… They want to defeat the Fire Lord by taking down the Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se… He said it was their best way to win the war… Iroh explained to me that the city is impenetrable, and he couldn't even break into it. I don't think we have to be too worried."

Sokka pondered over this. "Either way, we should find some information on both Ba Sing Se and the Fire Nation. The more we know, the better chance we have of winning."

"Alright," Katara began while Aang jumped up with his airbending. "We'll finish our vacations, and then we'll look for Sokka's intelligence."

Sokka rolled his eyes as Aang opened the map that Katara just handed him. He knelt and placed the map flat on the ground. "Your turn, Katara." He held the map down and looked at Katara with eager eyes. "Where would you like to go on your mini-vacation?"

Katara stared down at the very blah map and pointed at one of the only interesting images on it. "How about the Misty Palms Oasis? That sounds refreshing."

Aang perked up at this. "Oh yeah, I've been there! It's a pristine natural ice spring, and I usually don't use the word pristine. It's one of nature's wonders."

"Misty Palms Oasis…? That does sound pretty nice," I began. "I just feel like we should keep away from the desert region… Iroh told me there are rough men around those parts."

"This coming from a firebender," Sokka muttered. He didn't think I heard him, but I had. I tried not to let him see the cringe on my face. He spoke his next words louder. "While we're at it, we should ask around and see what people know about Ba Sing Se. We need to get what information we can to understand the situation of the war."

"Always about business," Toph muttered. "Can't we ever go to a place for fun?"

Sokka crossed his arms. "We can't fight firebenders with fun!"

"I'll show you how to one day," Aang promised. He walked over to Appa then. "What do you say buddy? A trip to an oasis will be fun!"

Appa groaned in agreement. Momo chattered in excitement and flew over to Appa. Those two guys were always together.

Eventually we climbed onto Appa's saddle and hit the sky again. As we did so, I leaned against the side of the saddle and watched the land pass by. As I did, the warm air lulled me into a doze. When I drifted away I dreamed.

 _Arms were wrapped around me as I leaned back against something solid. "Hey beautiful," Zuko whispered in my ear. "I've missed you."_

 _I smiled, feeling safe in his arms. "Me too… I wish we didn't have to part…"_

 _He turned me and I saw through foggy vision his gold eyes stare deep into my own. "We're not apart… I'm right here." His hand brushed against my cheek and he kissed me on the lips. I shut my eyes enjoying the moment._

 _When I pulled away, I expected to see his gold eyes once more. However dark blue ones burned into my own. My eyes widened when I saw I was no longer in Zuko's arms, but in a young man's I hadn't seen in years. Areto smirked when he saw my look of surprise. "Expecting someone else." His hands suddenly grabbed my arms as I tried to pull away._

 _"_ _No! Areto! Where's Zuko?!"_

 _He jerked me up from where I'd been sitting and pulled me close to his face. "Don't worry… You're safe from him. The Fire Nation prince is searching for the Avatar."_

 _I tried to pull from him. "No! I have to find him!"_

 _His hands were unbreakable bonds. He bent forward more. "My wife shouldn't be chasing after the enemy."_

 _"_ _I'm not your wife!" I tried to pull from him again._

 _"_ _Of course you are… The ceremony happened yesterday…"_

 _I felt panic rush through me. "What? No! That's not possible!"_

 _He smirked and reached forward. He lifted something from my neck and I looked to see it was a blue charm on a dark blue choker. Similarly dangling on his wrist was the same charm._

 _I gasped and jerked away from him. My hand went to my neck and I pulled up the charm enough to see it in my vision._

 _"_ _My necklace! Where's my crystal necklace?"_

 _He pulled something from his coat pocket. My eyes widened when I saw the necklace Zuko had given me._

 _"_ _Oh this," he began. "You don't need this anymore." He threw it down and it hit the campfire beside us. I gasped as I saw the crystal jewel begin to burn up in the flames. I went to reach for it, but Areto grabbed me again. "Careful… Wouldn't want you getting burned."_

 _I struggled as I watched my necklace begin to melt. "NO! ZUKO!"_

I threw my eyes open with a gasp, and quickly pulled from the side of the saddle. Grabbing at the necklace on my collarbone, my heart rapidly beat as I felt the crystal against my skin. As soon as I collected my thoughts, I let out a deep and heavy breath as I realized my necklace was still on me. My hand tightened around the crystal and I fell back against the saddle with relief.

"Crys…" Katara suddenly spoke from beside me. She'd been sowing a pair of pants. "You okay?"

Looking over at her, I released my necklace and let it fall back on my chest. "Yeah… Sorry… Just a dream…"

"About Zuko?"

Her question made me cringe. I looked over at Sokka who met my gaze, but then he quickly looked at the passing fields below.

I spoke softly. "It was at first… then Areto…"

Katara was surprised by this. "Areto?" Understanding fell over her though. "Oh… The arrangement…"

I looked out towards the sun. "Sokka and I turn sixteen soon…"

My twin brother sighed heavily beside me. "Crys… Stop worrying. I'm going to make sure this arrangement doesn't happen. Dad will listen to me."

I pulled my knees to my chest and set my chin on top as I hugged them tight. "I wish you had that power…"

"Power or not," Katara spoke up. "Areto is with the warriors, and we're in the middle of the Earth Kingdom. You can't be married if you and him never cross paths. You'll be fine." She pressed a hand to my shoulder. "We're not letting the tribe make you marry a guy you don't love, Crys…"

"But even so… the guy I do love will never be accepted by the tribe…"

Toph and Aang remained silent, not wanting to get into the awkward conversation. Sokka frowned and looked at the clouds we passed by.

Katara hung her head. "I'm sorry Crys… You and Zuko are from two different worlds. You say you both love each other, but in reality you two can never truly be together… He's the Fire Lord's son, and you're the daughter of the Southern Water Tribe chief… You're sworn enemies."

Shutting my eyes, I shook my head. "We're not sworn enemies… Zuko isn't the bad guy… His father just sucks…"

"The moonpeach doesn't fall too far from its tree," Sokka muttered.

I pressed my face into my knees, knowing Sokka's words were false.

Eventually we landed beside a very old and very dead town. There was no greenery or anything peaceful about it. The map had shown a lush oasis, but it appeared there was nothing but dirt and melting ice. Leaving Appa, we headed into the walled area and saw mud-huts with creepy men standing on the outside. The men wore tattered cloth that covered every ounce of them. All you could see were their eyes and mouths. They were all covered in sand.

"Must have changed ownership since I was here," Aang commented, glancing at the ice spring which was barely anything but an icy stub out of the ground.

I looked over at the men again who were whispering amongst one another. There were three of them, and their eyes kept glancing our way. Something about them made me unsettled.

"Come on… There's a shop we can go in to get out of the sun," Toph said, pointing over at the building nearby.

"Yeah… I'd prefer that than being out here," I muttered.

As we headed into the shop, one of the men was leaning against the wall of the wooden building, watching us pass with narrowed eyes. I averted my gaze as we passed by, not wanting to draw unwanted attention. I wasn't sure how short-tempered these ruffian looking men were.

Stepping inside the building, I winced as my eyes tried to readjust to the dim lighting. When I could focus at last, I found that there were small lanterns on each of the round wooden tables in the room. A wooden bar was set up on the other side of the room, and a bald man with broadswords—similar to the ones I'd seen back on Zuko's ship—stood behind it drying off some ceramic dishes with a rag. At the bar was a man who was passed out and snoring on an empty plate. At one of the tables another man was snoring, and a group of men were huddled at the table beside him playing a game with wooden cards.

The building seemed to be in desperate need of repair, and it appeared the travelers who stopped in probably didn't stay long. "Well this place is definitely the highlight of our vacation spot," I muttered.

Katara nodded beside me. "Not very relaxing…"

Toph grinned. "I like it!"

Sokka sighed beside me. "Yeah… Well I don't think a lot of these people like us."

Aang stepped forward and turned towards all of us. "Come on guys. Don't knock this place just yet!"

"One mango please!"

We all looked over at the bar again to see a man who seemed very out of place compared to the other people around us. This man wore loose white clothing and a circular white hat. Hanging from his back was a backpack and a sleeping bag, and from his waist there was a large leather pouch.

The bartender nodded at his order, and pulled both of his swords from their sheaths. He swung at one of the bowls on a shelf built into the wall, and picked it up with both swords placing it on a cutting board in the middle of the bar table. He then cut down four fruits that were hanging overhead—two large yellow ones and two smaller red ones. He proceeded to rapidly dice the fruit into several small pieces with both swords and dumped them and some water into a bowl to complete the drink. He slid the bowl over to the strange man, who accepted it with gratitude and the drop of an Earth Kingdom coin.

"I don't see anything wrong with having one of those fruity beverages while we plan our strategy," Sokka commented. He headed past us pulling some money from his pants pocket. As he went, the rest of us followed him deciding we might as well have one too.

As Sokka ordered all of us a beverage, Aang suddenly backed into me causing me to stumble back with him. We both looked at the cause and saw the man with the backpack look shocked. I quickly found he had bumped into Aang and spilled his drink all over him. The man looked horrified at his clumsy mistake.

"No worries!" Aang chimed. "I clean up easy!"

He suddenly used airbending to dry his clothes, which made my own clothes blow in the process. When he finished, I'd stepped back some more trying to get out of his whirlwind.

The man was astounded by Aang's action.

"You're a living relic!"

Aang seemed surprised, and shrugged. "Thanks. I try."

The man placed a hand on his chin, observing Aang. "An Air Nomad, right in front of me!"

A nudge on my arm caused me to look over at Sokka. He handed me a drink, and I smiled at him with thanks. Katara already had hers, and she drink it as she watched the interaction between Aang and the stranger with concern.

The man suddenly bowed to Aang. "Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University." He grabbed Aang's hand suddenly and observed it. "Tell me, which of the Air temples do you hail from?"

Aang simply answered, "The southern temple."

The man beamed and pulled something from the backpack he placed in front of him. It was a strange tool with a claw like shape. He measured Aang's head without permission, and went on to ask, "Oh, splendid! Now tell me, what was the primary agricultural product of your people?"

"Uh, are fruit pies an agricultural product?"

The professor beamed. "Oh, truly fascinating. That is one for the journal!" He put his measuring tool away and pulled out a notebook instead. He started writing stuff down. As he did, Sokka stepped forward handing a drink to Aang and taking a swig from his own.

Sokka then asked, "So professor, you're obviously a well-traveled guy. Do you have a more current map? Ours seems to be a little dated."

The professor nodded. "Certainly!"

He headed over to one of the tables, and as he did the others followed. I went to follow as well, but a hand grabbed my shoulder to stop me. "Crystal?"

My eyes widened. Turning on my heel, I looked behind me at the person who must've come in while we were distracted with the professor. The young man looked no different than when I last saw him weeks ago. He was the young man that had found Zuko, Iroh, and I on the raft after we'd made our escape from the North Pole.

"Kahru…? Wh- what are you doing here?"

I looked behind him to see one of the other members of his crew were buying them some drinks from the bar tender. Two other familiar men were at a table wiping off sweat with some rags.

"I was wondering the same thing?" He looked over at my group with curiosity. "What happened to the old guy Chin and your boyfriend Shang?"

I blushed, rubbing the back of my neck. "I-uh… I split with them…"

"Really…" He looked at my Water Tribe clothing, and then crossed his arms. "I feel there's more to this story."

"Well… What about you… What are you doing off of your ship?"

He didn't seem like he wanted to let my tale go, but he did answer. "We're doing some trades inland for a bit. The Fire Nation has been a little strict about trading at their ports now, so we're seeking other means of profit… My dad's still at the ship. He sent me and a few of the younger men to find some good trade partners. We stopped in here for a little break from our journey."

I was amazed. "Oh… Small world then, huh?"

"Yeah… It is," he said. He glanced back over at my group. "Who are they?"

I grimaced. "Uh… Well… They're my family…"

He was shocked. "What?" He glanced at Katara and Sokka with surprise as they looked down at a map the professor had sprawled out across the table. "Oh… I do see the resemblance…" He looked back at me with deep curiosity. "So you finally escaped your captors?"

I crossed my arms and looked down. "They weren't my captors."

Kahru smirked. "Sure they weren't…"

I looked up at him and went to argue. However, I stopped realizing there was no point. I barely even knew Kahru. He was just some guy that saved us from starving to death in the middle of the ocean.

"What's the real story? You can tell me," he said.

I answered him with honesty. "I found my family, and went my separate ways… There's nothing else to tell."

He nodded and looked at my scar. "Funny… I thought you and Shang would be inseparable. Guess I was wrong."

His words made a sting shoot through my heart. I hung my head as I thought about Zuko. His words made me want to feel Zuko's arms wrap around me protectively. I tried to control the pain that wanted to come out. My legs shook a little. "Yeah… I guess so…"

"Hey," Toph suddenly said, walking over to me. She crossed her arms and stepped to my side. "This guy bothering you, Crys?"

Kahru stared at Toph with question. She didn't meet his gaze, but looked ready to pound him.

"No Toph… He's just an old acquaintance…" I said softly, not wanting her to beat up Kahru for no reason. I had a feeling she would. "We were just catching up."

Kahru was amazed. "Wait… Toph Beifong? As in the girl who turned out to be The Blind Bandit! I saw you fight once! You were amazing! I heard you ran away from home to go join the Avatar!" He looked at me in shock. "How do you two know each other?"

"I'm… uh…" I looked at Toph unsure what to say. I didn't want to tell Kahru the Avatar was with us. I wasn't sure if he would tell someone else. Kahru looked over at the group who were still looking down at the map. His eyes landed on Aang.

"Those tattoos…" His eyes widened more, and he looked at me with amazement. "You're traveling with the Avatar!"

His voice was a little too loud for both Toph and I's comfort. Toph smacked him in the arm. "Hey!" She hissed. "Not so loud, peabrain! Last thing we need is someone trying to capture him and turn him over to the Fire Nation."

He quickly fell quiet. "Oh… Sorry…"

I sighed. "Yes… I'm traveling with the Avatar… Toph's helping him learn Earthbending, and my sister is his waterbending teacher…" Kahru was in awe. "I kept some things from you about my past, but I really can't say much more…"

He stood for a moment in silence, his eyes gazing over at Aang and then back at myself. "So… The rumors are true then… The Avatar is mastering the elements to defeat the Fire Lord…"

Toph nodded. "Yep."

Kahru looked back at me. "So you're all like a bunch of young heroes, fighting to the save the world…" He stepped back and grinned. "That's pretty cool. Usually you picture the heroes to be brawny men in armor. You all are far from what I imagined."

Toph crossed her arms. "You saying us girls can't fight?"

He held up his hands in defense. "Not at all. I'm just amazed a bunch of kids are traveling across the world to fight to end the war. You've all got guts."

I smiled weakly. "Thanks Kahru."

He nodded, and then placed a friendly hand on my shoulder again. "Good luck with your journey. I'm rooting for you all."

Toph grabbed my arm. "Come on Princess. Let's head back over to the others. Your brother's getting antsy." I looked over at Sokka to see he had finally noticed my conversation and was staring across the room at Kahru with suspicion.

Nodding, I looked back at Kahru with honesty. "It was good seeing you again Kahru. Have safe travels."

He pulled his hand away and nodded. "Safe travels to you as well."

Heading back over to the table, I was immediately questioned by my family about the stranger I'd spoken to. I sipped at the drink I hadn't been able to finish, and then said, "Chill everyone… He's the guy who picked me, Zuko, and Iroh up when we were drifting aimlessly in the ocean. We were just catching up."

Sokka relaxed from his suspicion. "Oh… Good."

Toph added, "Chill Sokka. They weren't kissing or anything. Not every guy is trying to date your sister."

I spit out the juice I had just gone to drink, and started to cough. As I coughed, Katara pat my back but was giggling. Aang laughed too in amusement, while Sokka rolled his eyes. The professor looked at all of us with curiosity.

Right before we left the building, Sokka grabbed me on the elbow and pulled me back from the others. He then pulled something from the belt around his waist. I was shocked to see it was a whale tooth knife. "I've taught you how to use one of these… Please keep it with you."

I stared at the blue handled knife with disbelief. "Sokka… I can use my bending. A knife isn't going to help me."

He grabbed my hand and pulled me forward. Crouching, he slid the knife in its leather sheath and shoved it down into my boot. "Just in case," he said, standing again. He met my gaze. "You may be in a future situation where you have no water… I'll feel better knowing you can defend yourself." He threw an arm around my shoulders, and guided me toward the door. "You have a knack for getting into trouble."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, Sokka… If it will make you happy."

He smiled over at me. "Thanks, Crys."

Eventually we made our way out of the messy resort and back over to Appa. Katara had caught me up on what was going on. We were helping Professor Zei find some library in the middle of the desert. When we got to Appa, I was horrified to see the ruffian men from before had cornered the poor guy by the wall. Appa groaned anxiously, and Momo chattered angrily on Appa's head. The men smirked with greed.

The professor gasped and rushed forward, waving his arms. "Sandbenders! Shoo! Away from the bison!"

The men stared at the professor with scowls, and then headed over to their raft vessels. Hopping on, they used the sand below them to shoot them off into the distance out of the desert. I was shocked at their bending. I'd never seen a sandbender before.

Looking over at Toph, I asked, "Can you bend sand like that?"

She frowned. "I can… It's a bit more complicated though. The sand makes things much more blurry because it moves."

Sokka grabbed Toph's wrist. "Come on then. I'll be your eyes Toph."

She ripped her hand from Sokka. "I'm not that blind. I can find my way on Appa."

As she climbed onto Appa, I looked back over at the sandbenders in the distance. Something about them and their interest in Appa made me really uneasy.

"Come on Crys. We need to head out before it gets dark," Katara spoke from where she was getting ready to climb onto Appa.

I glanced at her briefly, and then back at the sandbenders in the distance. "Yeah… Coming…"

Eventually we took flight, which the professor was thrilled about. As we flew out, I stared out at the sand around us hoping we found the library fast so we could get out of the desert.

For a good three hours we searched the desert for any sign of a building that looked like the drawing on Sokka's map. Sokka used a spy glass to search out in the distance, which was provided to him by the Professor. Professor Zei was too busy talking to Aang about the air nomads to be helping us search.

After another hour, I couldn't take it anymore. "Are we sure it's out here?"

Toph sighed beside me, hunched over on the side of the saddle. "I'm with Princess… Does this place even exist?"

Professor Zei looked back at us with a smile. "Some say it doesn't!"

Toph turned her head in his direction irritated. "Shouldn't you have mentioned that before!"

I groaned and I placed my forehead on my arms. I was so tired of flying. How did my brother and sister do this all the time? I suppose I'd become too comfortable on ships.

A few minutes later, Toph suddenly shouted from beside me, "There it is!"

My brother and sister jumped over to our side of the saddle looking over. I rolled my eyes at their excitement. I knew Toph was joking. They glared over at her when they realized the same.

She waved her hands over her glazed eyes. "That's what it will sound like when one of you spots it."

"Hopefully that will be soon," I muttered.

"Aw! Cheer up, Crys!" Aang turned towards me from where he sat near Appa's head. Momo sat on his shoulder. "We'll get there. Just think of the trip as another mini-vacation!"

Toph grimaced. "This isn't a vacation to me! I can't see a thing!"

Sokka sighed, lowering his spy glass. "Come on everyone… I know the desert isn't the greatest place for relaxation, but it's ten times better than having to fight off the Fire Nation. Besides… This is important. Finding this library will give us advantage over the Fire Nation."

I frowned. "Sokka… Even if we get the information we need… How are the five of us supposed to take down a whole army?" I ran a hand through my hair. "I mean… These people have been training to fight their whole lives. The soldiers don't care that we're all a couple of kids… They'll kill us if they have to…"

"We'll find a way," Sokka promised.

Katara nodded. "Don't worry, Crys. It's all going to work out."

The Professor suddenly added, "The probability is very slim, but such a victory is possible."

Toph sighed heavily with a shake of her head. "Thanks for the vote of confidence dude."

Another few minutes passed, and I was getting tired of looking out towards the endless sand. Turning away, I leaned back against the side of the saddle and closed my eyes. As I did so, I thought back to my time on the ship with Zuko and Iroh.

 _"_ _Just read it!" I begged, shoving the book over to Zuko._

 _He scowled. "I'm not reading it!" He shoved it back to me. "I don't do cheesy romances!"_

 _"_ _Come on Zuko! I have to know how it ends, but I can't read these last few words!" I shoved the book back to him. "Your Uncle said he would finish reading it to me, but he had to go speak to the Captain."_

 _Zuko stared down at the book on his table where five candles were lit. He had been meditating, but my constant pacing had driven him crazy. He had grabbed me by the sleeve and forced me to sit at the table. It had been a few days after I had started reading with Iroh, and I was still learning as much as I could but struggling._

 _"_ _I'm not reading it for you!" He shoved it back to me. "How will you learn?"_

 _I huffed and shoved it back. "You read it out loud, and that will help me learn as I follow along."_

 _He went to argue again, but his eyes met my own. He shut his mouth, and then let out a hard sigh. "Fine…"_

 _He picked up the book and scoot closer to me. Placing it between us, he started from the spot I'd asked him to. "The fair maiden and the loyal warrior reunited at the edge of the kingdom having been separated for many days. They spoke of their futures, and how they knew the only path to true happiness was to stop the war that separated them. The valiant warrior spoke to his King, while his beautiful love begged her own King for peace. The two were granted their wish. The two kings had noticed the love that the maiden and warrior held towards one another, and a truce was made. The two kingdoms further united as one, and the warrior and maiden were finally allowed to be together. On their wedding day, they vowed to protect one another and never break the bond they held."_

 _By the end of his reading, I had leaned into him to follow along with the words. When he finished reading, it was only then that I felt the warmth through my skin. A blush spread across my cheeks and I ripped away from him, turning away in embarrassment._

 _"_ _Sorry…" I spoke, feeling like an idiot._

 _He chuckled. I looked at him with question. His gold eyes met my own. "You should be… That book was terrible."_

 _I smiled weakly. "No it wasn't… The warrior won the battle and they both united two feuding kingdoms. I thought it was beautiful."_

 _"_ _And cheesy."_

 _I rolled my eyes. "You're a guy… Of course you would say that." Closing the book, I placed it back on the pile with the others I had read. Standing, I went to head back over to my bed. Zuko's hand suddenly stopped me though. I looked back down at him, and he stared up at me from where he was sitting._

 _"_ _Let's read one more…" He released my hand and looked away from me. "I'm bored with meditation…"_

 _I smiled. "Okay." I sat back down and picked up another book. "How's about The Tale of The Sage_?"

 _He nodded. "Sounds good… You read it to me though…"_

 _"_ _Me… I can-"_

 _"_ _I'll help," he interrupted. He took the book from my hand and opened it to the first page. Handing it back to me, he said, "I'm tired of talking anyway. I want to listen to you."_

 _I stared at the book with burning ears. Zuko was making me nervous quite frequently. "Okay…" Taking in a deep breath, I began to read. "Once long ago, a wise old man told a young merchant child he would be something of greatness…"_

"It shouldn't be this hard to spot a giant ornate building from the air," Katara spoke suddenly, bringing me out of my reverie.

Sokka looked through his spy glass once more, scanning the area. His eyes widened. "Down there! What's that?!" He pointed towards something I could make out was jutting up from the sand.

Momo squeaked as Aang moved his body. The lemur had been asleep on Aang's head. Aang stood and raced to the side of the saddle looking over, while Momo hopped onto the saddle searching for sturdy ground. As Aang did so, Katara rushed over to Appa taking his reins and guiding him back to the spot Sokka had seen. Eventually we landed and slid off of Appa. Momo flew down and perched on Aang's shoulder. All of us stared up at the hard circular structure stretching twenty feet above us in question. There was a pointed roof at the top.

"Forget it," Katara said with a heavy sigh while holding a drawing of the library in her hand. "It's obviously not what we're looking for. The building in this drawing is enormous."

The sound of heavy steps on sand caused me to turn from the tower structure and look over at an approaching animal. A large gray fox appeared before us, and in its mouth was a scroll. It ran past us, stopping only for a second to gaze our way. It decided we weren't a threat, and then ran towards the structure.

"What kind of animal is that?" Sokka had never seen a fox before. The only animal even remotely close in the South Pole was the snow-wolf that wandered around our village at times. I knew it was a fox though, because I had seen it in books from Iroh. This fox struck me as odd though, especially when it ran straight up the tower wall and through the window as if it had no force fulling it back down to the earth.

"I think that was one of the knowledge seekers," the professor said, tapping his chin. He then beamed. "We must be getting close to the library!"

I stared at the tower only a second longer, and then realization hit me. "Guys… We are close! This is the library!"

Sokka looked at me with question, and then took the map from Katara. "Wait! Crys is right! Look!" He pointed at a spot on the drawing, and the others followed his finger. As he pointed to the highest tip of the drawing, he moved his point towards the physical structure. "It's completely buried!"

The professor was horrified. "What?! The library is buried!" He dropped to his knees with his backpack in front of him. "My life's ambition is now full of sand!" He hung his head, and reached into his bag. Then he smiled when he found what he needed. He had in his hand a small metal shovel. "Whelp! Time to start excavating."

As the professor began to dig in the sand, Toph stepped over. "Actually, that won't be necessary. The inside seems to be completely intact, and it's huge."

The professor looked up at her with thrill.

Sokka pointed up at the window. "That fox thingy went in through a window. I say we climb up there and give it a look." He headed back over to Appa and returned a second later with a rope. Sokka then took his boomerang out tied the rope to it so he could throw it through the window.

As he did so, Toph insisted, "I say you guys go ahead without me."

Katara was amused. "You got something against libraries?"

She shrugged. "I've held books before, and I gotta tell you, they don't exactly do it for me."

Katara was surprised, and then realization hit her. "Oh, right… Sorry."

She smiled. "Let me know if they have something you can listen to."

Aang walked over saying, "That works out. You can keep Appa company. He probably wouldn't want to look at the books either." Appa groaned. Aang walked over and patted him. "Don't worry buddy. I'm not making you go underground ever again. You can stay out here with Toph."

I looked up at the window anxiously, and then walked over to Appa. "Uh… I think I'll stay out too…"

Katara and Sokka were both surprised.

Aang was curious and asked, "What? Why?"

I looked away from them feeling my heart ache. "I… I just don't want to look at books right now…"

They all seemed to replace their looks of confusion with understanding. I'd told them about how Zuko and Iroh had taught me during my time with them how to read.

"Okay," Aang said. "We shouldn't be gone long."

Eventually Sokka threw his boomerang up at the window, and they all climbed up and over. When Katara was the last to disappear, Toph, Appa, and I were left alone.

For what felt like hours we sat in the sand, both trying to be shaded by Appa's body. As we did, Toph questioned me about my relationship with Zuko. She asked me what it was I liked about him, and why I had fallen head over heels.

"… I mean, you clearly love him if you two have kissed. Why is that?"

I smiled weakly, hugging my knees to my chest. "I don't know… I guess… As different as we are, we are both really similar…" I thought about Zuko as I spoke. "Even though he wants his honor, he has a heart that's pure and strong. He cares about the people who love him, and he does all he can to protect them from harm. He doesn't let his past stop him from fighting for what he wants… We've both lost something, and we both feel responsible…" I sighed. "Zuko is compassionate and sees me for what I am… I love him for that…"

Toph took all of this in. She then crossed her arms leaning back against Appa. "I never imagined the enemy's son to actually have a heart… No wonder his heart was racing so much though when you left him for us… He didn't want to lose you…"

I grimaced.

"No worries though, Princess. You'll see him again," Toph promised. "I don't think fate would bring you together just to break you apart forever."

I shut my eyes feeling my heart ache. "I hope your right…"

Appa groaned from beside me. Toph beamed. "See! Even fur ball thinks so."

I smiled over at him, and pat his fur beside me. "Thanks Appa."

They had been gone for a good two hours, and silence had fallen between Toph and I. It didn't last though. Suddenly Toph roused me from my doze.

"Hey…" Toph suddenly spoke. "What's that shaking sound?"

Opening my eyes from where I was chilling against Appa, I heard the rumble she was speaking of. I looked over at the building with question. When I saw it sinking I was horrified. "What!" Jumping to my feet, I stared at the building in horror. "Toph! The library! It's going down!"

"What?!" Toph jumped up from where she was leaning against Appa and raced over. "Hang on! I'll stop it!" She smashed her hand into the stone of the building tower, and managed to slow the sinking. However, she started to sink with it. She released briefly, causing the building to sink fast again. She hardened the sand around her to give her a firm platform, and then she tried again. Slamming her fists into the tower, she shouted, "Where are they?!"

I felt the blood pound in my ears as I worried for them. "I need to go help them!"

"No! It's too dangerous!" Toph pushed against the building harder, but I could see it was a lot of weight for her.

"Toph! I-"

Appa suddenly groaned from behind me, and I looked over at him with question. When I saw the cause of his noise, I was horrified. A thick cloud of sand was coming towards us, and I knew immediately who the flying sand belonged to. I also knew what they wanted.

"No!"

Pulling water from my pouch, I rushed in front of Appa. "Crystal? What is it?" Toph had no clue what was happening.

"Keep your focus on the building! I'll deal with these thieves!"

The sandbenders were all on wooden sand gliders. They all wore wrappings around their body to the point where the only thing uncovered was their eyes. As they approached, I prepared to shoot my water from the pouch on my waist.

"Appa! Go!" I wanted him to escape while he had the chance.

Appa didn't move, and I knew why. He didn't want to leave me to face these men on my own. They circled around us, coming to a stop so they were blocking our escape. As they did so, one of the sandbenders shot his hand forward causing a whirlwind of sand to surround us. I gasped as the sand surrounded both Appa and I?

"Who's there?!" Toph was anxious as she struggled to keep the building up but also wanted to help me. "What's going on Crystal?"

Appa groaned and stepped forward placing his giant foot in front of me to block me from the sand. When the whirlwind settled, I was horrified to see four sandbenders had jumped off of their gliders, and each one held the end of a rope as they prepared to steal Appa.

"No! Go away!" I shot my water forward, and it hit one of the men hard sending them flying on their back. Bringing my water back, I shot it at another who saw it coming. He shot a wave of sand up and the water hit into the sand making the particles wet. When he dropped the sand, I realized then I had no water. I was prepared to fight though.

The men were all up again, and they tossed their ropes over Appa. I rushed towards one of them, who quickly released his rope and shot sand towards me. Jumping to the side, the sand missed as I tackled him hard to the ground. He gasped as I sent the both of us falling onto the sand, and then he struggled to kick me off.

"Leave him alone!" I ordered. "He doesn't belong to you, you thief!"

He spat at me, and I cringed from the saliva on my cheek. The man kicked me off at my distraction and I fell back hard.

A deep voice ordered, "Let's go!"

The man I tackled jumped to his feet and took off. Without hesitation, I got up to my feet and raced after him. As I did this, I saw Appa was tied down with ropes and starting to be dragged away. He groaned and struggled under the ropes with all his might, but the men had him tied hard to their sand gliders.

"APPA!" I raced forward just as the sand gliders were starting to move at a faster pace. Their buddy hopped on and shouted for them to move. He wasn't fast enough. With speed I didn't know I had, I jumped onboard the sand glider as it began to move across the desert. The men were shocked by my invasion, and another man not using his bending to move the glider went to grab me. Dodging him, I kicked him in the stomach which made him stumble back. The same guy whom I had tackled earlier rushed over to grab him while he was falling. As the men struggled to regain their balance, I turned to the rope on the glider and quickly worked to undo the knot.

"Hang on Appa!"

Appa groaned seeing my effort at trying to save him. As I worked on the knot, I pulled out the knife from my boot that Sokka had given me earlier. With quick movements, I began to slice the rope in desperation.

"Stop!"

Another man had leaped from one of the other gliders and landed on the one I was on. The rope cut free, and Appa managed to get control of one of his legs. As this happened, the new man rushed over and grabbed me. Pinning my arms to my side, I gasped as he managed to get a hold of me and I dropped my knife.

"Stop it kid! I don't want to hurt you!" The voice was that of a young man, perhaps in his twenties. I only struggled harder.

"Let Appa go! You're making a mistake! He belongs to my friend!"

Another man who was moving the glider, shouted, "Knock her off!"

The young man sighed in my ear. "Sorry kid. It's just business." He shoved me then, and I shrieked thinking quick. My hand grabbed his arm as I went down onto the sand. He yelped as he fell with me, and the two of us landed onto the hot desert sand. We rolled a bit and then came to a stop. The sandbender lay beside me in a daze, and I tried to collect my sore and sand burned body. The gliders had stopped in the distance as they noticed their comrade was off.

"Gashuin! Let's go!"

A sandbender had run over, this one older than the man beside me. He grabbed his buddies hand and yanked him up. I grabbed his arm to be pulled up with him. Gashuin tried to yank from me, while his partner shot his hand at my face. The impact sent a searing pain through my mouth, and I stumbled back onto the sand. My hand released Gashuin in the process.

"Come on!" His partner yanked him away, and I sat on my butt clutching my bleeding lip. "Let's get out of here!" The men took off.

"No!" I quickly came to my senses and tried to scramble to my feet again, but a large gust of sand blew at me and I was blinded. My eyes burned as I tried to open them. When I finally was successful, I saw through the cloud of sand the gliders were moving again. Appa groaned loud and helpless as he was dragged away.

"APPA!" I tried to step forward, but exhaustion finally hit me. Falling onto the sand, I cried out in agony. Tears fell as I realized I'd failed. Appa was gone, and I could do nothing to help him.

Trying to stand again, I felt exhausted but I gave it one last attempt. Through blurry vision, I ran again only to have my foot sink down in some sand. I fell forward hard and crashed once again onto the sand.

Appa's groan faded in the distance, and I gasped as I realized I was too late…

"No… Appa…" My voice was weak. "I'm sorry…" Tears poured down my sand covered cheeks as I held myself up with my knees and my hands. "I'm so sorry…"

Hanging my head in defeat, I grabbed a handful of sand in both of my palms letting the grains burn into my skin. What was I going to tell Aang? I should've fought harder…

I was always so useless.

Somehow I managed to find my feet. Standing, I felt my body ache as I stared out into the desert before me. The sandbenders were gone, and all that was left was the knife Sokka had given me. The knife lay in the dirt from where it had been thrown off a few yards away. Walking over to the knife with defeat, I picked it up and placed it back in the sheath inside my boot. Looking out toward the horizon, I whispered through my tears, "I'm going to find you, Appa… I promise…"

Turning, I went to head back to the others. As I did, I noticed that the trail of the sandbenders had been blown away. Looking around, I realized I was completely lost. Every direction I turned looked exactly the same on the horizon. The expanse of the desert was endless.

I decided the best thing to do was just to walk. I hoped the direction I headed would lead me back to the others.

As I treaded across the sand, I dropped my hand from my bloodied lip and hung my head in dismay. Appa was being dragged to who knows where… I didn't know how we would find him.

It seemed I walked for a good ten minutes, and my vision blurred after a while.

"Crystal!"

A familiar cry brought me from my daze, and I looked up in shock to see Aang flying toward me with his glider. He landed in front of me and shut his glider. Racing over to me, I saw Momo was trailing in the air behind him.

"Aang…"

He stopped in front of me and grabbed my shoulders. "Appa? What happened to Appa?!"

Tears clouded my vision. Dropping my gaze, I said softly, "Aang… I tried… Appa… Th-they took him…"

Aang gasped, and his words were cracked as he asked. "Who? Who took him Crystal?!"

It took me a moment to find my voice. "The sandbenders… The one's from before… They must've followed us to the library…"

"No…" Aang was in agony as he took it all in. "You- you couldn't stop them?"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry… I tried…" I covered my eyes as tears slid out. "I wasn't strong enough…"

"Wh-which way did they go? Tell me!" He grabbed my shoulders harder and shook them. "Which way, Crystal?!"

"I… I don't know… I… This desert is so big…"

"Aang! Crystal!" Katara's voice suddenly shouted from behind Aang, and I saw her, Toph, and Sokka running over. Momo sat on Aang's shoulder looking out into the desert with sadness. Dropping my gaze from all of them, I hung my head once again.

"Which way?! Tell me!" He shook me again. I cringed from the pain of his grasp.

"Aang! Stop!" Sokka suddenly rushed in between and pushed Aang off of me. "Calm down! Crystal isn't the one to blame."

"Yeah twinkletoes… Crystal fought as hard as she could…" Toph frowned. "There were too many of them for her to face on her own. We were ambushed."

Aang realized what he was doing. He quickly calmed and his face turned to guilt. Stepping back, he hung his head. "I… I'm sorry, Crys… I shouldn't have taken it out on you…"

Shaking my head, I turned away from him in shame. "You have every right to…" Tears fell from the ache in my heart. "I wasn't strong enough to save him… If I was a better waterbender or fighter, I could've stopped them all…"

"Crys…" Sokka started.

I interrupted him by looking up at the group. My vision was blurred by tears. "I let Appa down… I couldn't stop them from taking him! You all are so strong and brave… I-" I stopped as my voice caught. "I'm such a useless addition to your group."

Katara stepped forward suddenly and grabbed my hand. "Crystal! Don't talk such nonsense! None of us blame you for losing Appa! Toph told us there were more than ten men! There's no way you could've fought them all on your own, and without water for that matter. Stop beating yourself up so much."

"Yeah, Princess…" Toph stepped forward and punched me in the arm. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You fought hard… Harder than I've seen anyone fight before… We'll get the big guy back."

Aang nodded, having calmed down enough to cool his anger. "Toph's right…" He placed a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry for losing my temper and taking it out on you… I wasn't thinking… I won't rest though until I find those sandbenders. We're getting Appa back, Crys... together…" Momo chattered on his shoulder in agreement.

"How though…?" Sokka sounded dismayed. "We're in the middle of the desert with no transportation or map… We also have no supplies… And it's getting late... The sun is starting to set…"

As the group chattered, and I calmed enough to stop my tears, I looked over at the setting sun. The man I'd befriended on the ship so long ago told me once about navigation. Hul had been with me often to protect me during my time aboard Zuko's vessel, and he shared much knowledge with me.

 _"_ _Whenever you're lost, follow the east star," he said, pointing out over the ocean into the night sky. "You'll know which one it is if you follow the archer arrow. The end of the arrow always points to the east."_

 _I leaned against the ship rail staring at the star which he spoke of. My hand was wrapped tight from being broken, and the cold air made it ache. I tried to listen to Hul to get my mind off of it._

 _"_ _How do you know so much about navigation?"_

 _He smiled over at me, which I could see from the moonlight. "My father was a navigator for a merchant vessel. He taught me everything he knew before he died."_

 _I nodded and looked back up at the stars. "Your dad would be proud of you for remembering so much."_

 _"_ _Yes… And your father would be proud of you for being so strong."_

 _I scoffed. "Proud…?" Stepping back from the rail, I turned from Hul. "My father hasn't been proud of me since the day my mother died… I failed him and the rest of my people… I was too weak to protect her…"_

 _"_ _Your mother… What happened to her?"_

 _Ignoring Hul's question, I looked back up at the stars. "So the archer's arrow points to the east. I'll definitely remember that." I turned back to Hul who seemed surprised by my aversion to his question. "Thanks for the lesson."_

"The stars," I suddenly said.

The group stopped talking, and they looked at me with question. Katara was the first to ask. "What?"

Staring at the sun which lowered more by the minute, I stated, "We follow the stars… If we head east, we're sure to get back to the oasis we started at. The professor had us going west most of the time."

"Follow the stars?" Aang was surprised. "I don't know how to follow the stars."

I smiled weakly. "That's okay… I do…"

The group looked at me in surprise. Sokka was amazed. "When did you learn that?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "My friend Hul taught me… He told me about the different constellations and how they're used to navigate across the ocean. The same applies for the desert… We just have to follow the archer's arrow when the stars come out."

"Hul..." Sokka seemed upset. "That Fire Nation soldier? You see him as your friend?"

I was puzzled. "You know Hul?"

He grimaced. "Yeah… I interrogated him a few weeks ago at the North Pole. We captured him during the battle."

I was horrified by this news. I'd wondered how many Fire Nation men were taken prisoner back at the North Pole, but I never imagined Hul would be one of them.

"Oh…" I looked down feeling worried for the man who had treated me so kindly. "I didn't know that…"

Katara saw the conversation was upsetting me and quickly returned to the goal at hand. "So we'll wait for the sun to completely set and follow the stars."

"A sleepless night…" Toph muttered.

Aang looked over at the group with agony. "We have to get as far as we can… I can't let them get too far ahead with Appa… We have to save him…"

Sokka nodded. "Aang's right… Traveling by night will be better for us… It won't be easy to see, but it won't be as hot either."

Nodding, I looked at the setting sun with desire. _We'll get you back Appa… Just hang on…_

"Hey… Where's the professor?"

Toph's question made me realize for the first time the crazy man wasn't with us. So much had just happened…

Sokka frowned. "He stayed behind… He was buried with the library…"

She grimaced. "Whelp… I guess he fulfilled his life work then…"

Katara stepped over to me then. "Here… Let me heal your lip. They did a number on you." She pulled water from her pouch and moved it toward me.

I took the water from the air and put it back in her pouch, quickly sealing it tight. She was surprised and went to argue.

I interrupted. "No… Save the water. We don't know how long we'll be in the desert. We need it to last us."

She shut her mouth and nodded, knowing I was right. Instead, she pulled a cloth out from her pants pocket and held it out towards me. "At least wipe the sand away from it so you don't get an infection."

I nodded and took the cloth from her with a weak smile.

She added, "And don't ever talk like that again… You belong with this group. Thanks to you we're going to make it out of this desert alive."

I hung my head in embarrassment. "Thanks sis…"

She hugged me then, and when she pulled away she said, "Besides… Only someone strong and brave could survive everything you have." She brushed some sand from the area of skin that was marked by my burn. "You're alive after everything you've been through, and that shows how much of a fighter you are."

Her words made my pained heart ease. Staring at the charm on her neck, I looked back up at her blue eyes and thought of my mother. She would've said the same thing…

Nodding, I smiled at my sister with thanks. "You're a fighter too, Katara. Mom would be so proud of you."

"Aw… You two are making me cry," Sokka whined.

Toph crossed her arms. "Enough with the sibling love. We have to get out of this desert."

Nodding, I looked out at the setting sun, and then over at Aang who met my eyes with pain.

"Come on Aang," I said softly. "Let's go get Appa back…"

He nodded, and looked at the horizon with tear filled eyes. "We'll get you back buddy… Promise…"


	32. An Endless Journey

**Hey Everyone,**

 **Sorry this chapter took longer than I hoped. Classes at college got busy again. Thanks again for the reviews and readng my story. I hope you all enjoy my take on the desert episode.**

 **Thanks,**

 **Faith waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 32**

My feet were killing me and my body was exhausted, but I kept moving forward in order to encourage everyone else. We'd been walking through the night, and I'd kept them all on a path east. I knew we needed to keep moving if we were going to make it out of the desert alive. Staring up at the sky, I could see the star I had been following was starting to dim from the rising sun.

"What are we going to do when the sun comes up?" Toph seemed dismayed as Katara guided her forward across the sand.

"We'll follow the sunrise. The sun always rises in the east," Sokka stated.

Aang frowned. "Guys… I… I've been thinking… I'm going on ahead to see if I can find Appa."

Katara was horrified. "What? No! We should stick together! We don't need anyone getting lost in this desert!"

Aang stepped away when Katara tried to grab his shoulder. "I won't go far… I know what direction you all are headed. If I don't find you before then I'll meet you…" He whipped out his glider and went to go.

"Aang! Wait!"

Katara tried to grab him, but he was already off the ground and in the air before she could. Momo chattered from Sokka's shoulder in protest. We all watched though in defeat as Aang flew off towards the rising sun.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I looked back up at the stars only to see they were no longer visible. The point of the constellation I'd been following through the night was no longer there. "Well… Looks like the sun's coming up…"

"We should rest for an hour," Sokka insisted. "We don't want to travel through the heat of the day in exhaustion."

Katara hung her head. "Aang…"

Stepping over to her, I hugged her for comfort letting her press her face into my shoulder. Rubbing circles on her back, I said, "He'll be okay… He just needs some time to think…"

"Princess is right, Katara." Toph stepped over placing a hand on my shoulder. "We'll see him again." She squeezed my shoulder. "Don't worry."

Grabbing Toph's hand, I moved it over to Katara's shoulder. "Wrong person, Toph."

She grimaced. "Oh… Sorry. Can't really see…"

I smiled weakly. "I know." I looked over at the brightening sky. "Everyone lay down for a little bit and rest. We have a long walk ahead of us."

As the group laid down and got some shut eye from exhaustion, I sat in the sand staring across the desert at the horizon. Pulling my knees to my chest, I felt my stomach clench as I thought about Appa. Part of me still felt responsible for the sandbenders managing to take him. If I had been stronger in my bending and physical strength, I may have been able to win.

My mind took me back to the South Pole, and I thought about the day my father came to visit me. It had been a whole week after I had woken from almost dying, and my father had yet to visit me. I'd blamed myself for his avoidance, wondering if he was too disappointed in my failure to save mom to come and see me.

 _I cringed as Areto pressed the salve to my burn. He'd been with me most of the morning, since his mother and sister were out of the village on a hunting trip. His father was training some of the younger warriors. My brother and sister had come with Gran-Gran earlier in the day to see me, promising they would be back later for dinner._

 _"_ _I'm almost done," Areto promised. The fourteen-year-old boy went to put more of the herbal remedy on my skin, and I whimpered as it made contact on the tender area around my collar bone. The touch sent a harsh sting across my skin. I weakly grabbed his hand trying to push away. He took his free hand to restrain me so he could break free from my weak grasp. "Crystal. Stop… You need this medicine."_

 _I shook my head. Tears burned in my eyes. "I-It hurts."_

 _Areto released my hand and brushed a strand of my sweat covered hair from my face. "I know… But it will only hurt for a second. Then you'll feel much better. I promise."_

 _He went to spread the salve over my collarbone again. I flinched at the sting and went to grab his hand again. This time a strong one grabbed my wrist to stop me._

 _"_ _Crys…" My father's deep voice spoke from the other side of me. "Enough…"_

 _Areto met my father's gaze. "Chi-chief Hakoda… I didn't know you were coming."_

 _"_ _I got done with the council early… Finish putting the medicine on. I've got her." My father held firm to my hands then, and I whimpered as Areto finished spreading the herbs over my blistered skin. When he finished, he placed bandaging back over it while my father held me up with his strong and warm arms. When I was bandaged back up, father lowered me slowly on the fur pelts I had been laying on for some time. I shivered as my fever rose from all the movement._

 _"_ _Areto… Could you go retrieve us some fresh water," my father suddenly said. "She needs to drink."_

 _Areto nodded and stood from where he'd been kneeling beside me. "Yes sir. I'll be back soon."_

 _Once Areto left, father and I were alone. It was the first time my father had visited me since I had woken up. At least it was the first time I had been fully awake to see him. My father had hazed eyes, and I was certain he had been crying a lot since his wife's passing. I had heard after her death they had a traditional funeral for her. My father had placed mother in a finely decorated canoe, and each villager placed a gift of either herbs, fur pelts, or jewelry over her body. Bato and the other men shoved the canoe off then, while Bato lit a torch and tossed it into the boat. The flaming canoe drifted away as the fire ate up what remained of my mother. Eventually the canoe had sunk into the ocean and disappeared below._

 _"_ _It's good to see you awake," dad suddenly spoke to me. "The tribe has been worried about you."_

 _I shut my eyes. "I'm sorry…" Tears filled my eyes. "I- I coul-"_

 _"_ _Shh…" My father stroked my hair to calm me. "Don't cry sweetie…"_

 _I let out a sob and shut my eyes tighter. "Mommy… I- I couldn't save her…"_

 _His arms suddenly slid under me, and I was pulled onto his lap where he wrapped me in a warm embrace. He was careful not to move me too fast, worried he would hurt me. "Crys… It's okay…"_

 _"_ _I tried to save her," I whispered. "I wasn't strong enough."_

 _He kissed me carefully on the forehead. "You are strong… You survived…" He brushed his hand through my hair. "Tell me what happened…"_

 _My eyes shot open, and I looked at my father with terror at the sudden memory. I quickly tried to push it away by shutting my eyes again. "I- I can't…"_

 _"_ _Crystal…" He paused, and I could tell he was trying to contain his frustration. "Please. Who did this to you? What happened?"_

 _"_ _No… I…" I tried to push away from him. "I can't…"_

 _The pain and fire rushed to my memories again. I cringed and tried to wiggle from my father's hold. My head started to pulse and my heart quickened. My father held firm to me. "Crystal! Stop! Talk to me! Tell me what happened!"_

 _Shaking my head, I heard my mother's scream echo through my mind. "No!"_

 _"_ _Please! I need to know, Crys! Come on! What happened?"_

 _"_ _Chief Hakoda!"_

 _Kieda's voice sounded from the door. Looking over through blurred vision, I saw Areto's mom rush in and come to my side. Areto came in from behind, a bowl of water in his hands. Kieda's arms immediately slid me away from my father and helped me lay back on the fur pelts._

 _"_ _She is in no condition to go through so much stress!" Kieda pressed a palm to my forehead. "Her fever's spiking." She looked back at Areto. "Give me the water!"_

 _My father stood in the process, looking down at me with tears in his eyes. "Crys… Please talk to me. What happened to you and your mother?"_

 _Kieda held me up slightly and placed a bowl of water up to my mouth. "Drink dear," she ordered. As I tried to drink down the water, she told my father with a calmer voice, "She is in no condition to think about that right now. She's needs rest, Hakoda."_

 _My father let out a heavy sigh. Stepping back, he spoke again with tightened fists. "Very well… I'm going to go back to my duties… I leave her in your care." He turned and left the hut with defeat._

 _Kieda let out a hard breath, and then carefully lowered me back down. As she did so, Areto took the fur blanket that had slid off of me and pulled it over my shivering body._

 _"_ _I'm sorry…" I whispered, shutting my eyes. "I'm sorry daddy…"_

 _"_ _Shh… Sleep sweetie," Kieda whispered, stroking through my hair. "You need rest…"_

Momo's chirp brought me out of my reverie. I jumped and looked at the little flying lemur with question. His big eyes were staring off at the rising sun with concern. Placing my hand on Momo's head, I pat him to give some comfort. "It's okay… Aang will be back soon." He came over to me and curled up beside me. "I'm sorry, Momo… I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to protect Appa…"

With a heavy sigh, I lay down and shut my eyes to get some shut eye. Petting Momo, I drifted away with my worries following.

 **Zuko POV**

A deep breath escaped me as I sat against the tree we were residing underneath. Uncle snored peacefully a few feet away. We'd arrived at an area where the grasslands of the Earth Kingdom seemed to completely fade away becoming nothing but sand. Uncle told me there was a trading post not too far that he had friends at, and promised we wouldn't have to go through the desert. We decided to rest for the night, especially since Uncle was still sore from Azula's attack. The Rough Rhino Players attack on us the other day had also taken a toll on him.

Crossing my arms, I stared at the sun which was already rising in the sky. As I did so, I thought about the one person I'd been missing for some time. I was worried about her, especially since I had no clue where she was or if she was okay. Shutting my eyes, I let my head fall back against the bark of the tree again.

I'd never felt so concerned about another in my life. I knew of course why I couldn't get her off my mind: I loved Crystal. I'd never felt for another the way I felt for her.

My mind took me back to the beginning, when I had first captured her from her home at the South Pole. Who would've ever thought I'd fall for someone of such a different world.

 _"_ _You can't keep me locked up forever! My family will come for me!" She gave her chain a tug with her hands, only causing herself to fall back on the cot. She'd been working to break from the lock on her ankle since I'd put it on her. We had been rooming together for a week, and the ship was still in desperate need of repair after the Avatar's attack at the South Pole._

 _Walking over to my chest, I ignored her as I opened it and rummaged through. She growled and sat up again trying to jerk the chain off the wall._

 _"_ _You're only going to hurt yourself," I muttered. Pulling out what I was looking for, I stood straight again and looked back over at her. "That chain isn't coming off."_

 _She pretended I never spoke and stood again. She tried to pull the chain from the wall once more. As she did, I took out the scroll I was searching for and walked over to the long table against my wall. Sitting on the floor, I opened the scroll and scanned the sketched map before me._

 _A shriek sounded only a second later, and I cringed as I heard her fall back on the steel floor as she failed once more to escape. The sound of chains in the background told me she was trying to get back to her feet._

 _"_ _Why don't you just give up? You're going to get tired."_

 _She gave a tug to the chain again. "I'm not giving up! I have to get back to my family!"_

 _Looking over at her, I saw she was in an impossible battle with the cuff on her ankle. She was trying to slide it off of her, which only made her skin red._

 _Scowling, I left my map and stood once more. Walking over to her, I grabbed her hands from the cuff. She gasped and tried to pull from me. I held firm though as I yanked her up to her feet. She stumbled and fell into me forcing me to hold her up. When she managed to find her feet, she met my eyes with fear._

 _"_ _Stop doing that!" I leaned my face towards hers, and she shut her eyes with terror. "Are you trying to cut your foot off! You can't slide out of it, so stop tearing your skin up to try!"_

 _"_ _Why do you care?!" She tried to break from my hands but I was too strong. "As long as you have me alive, who cares if I become a cripple!"_

 _I shoved her back, and she fell on her cot with a shriek. She landed on its center, and looked up at me with shock. Stepping forward so I towered over her, I stated, "I care! I'd rather deliver you to my father in one piece. Stop hurting your ankle!"_

 _She suddenly had tears fall down her cheeks, and I felt my frustration slightly fade. Her eyes burned with agony as she shook in fear. "Please…" She had more tears fall. "Please don't give me to your father… Please just let me go…"_

 _I felt a feeling form inside me, but I wasn't sure what it was. Trying not to ponder it over, I crouched in front of her and pointed a finger at her face. "If you touch that cuff again, I'll chain your hands as well. Got it?!"_

 _She flinched from my finger, saying through a broken voice, "Fine… Go ahead… I'm only your prisoner…"_

 _Pulling my finger from her, I stared at her for a moment not sure what to say. As I did so, I felt the feeling in my gut emerge more. I knew then it was guilt. With a heavy breath, I left her and walked back over to the table in the room. Picking up a bowl of water with a wash cloth in it, I walked back over to her._

 _Sitting on the space beside her, she tried to scoot away. I grabbed her arm to stop her. "Sit still, or I'll get cuffs for your hands."_

 _She immediately went still, not wanting to be chained up any more than she already was. Placing the bowl on the steel flat floor, I took out a key from my pants pocket and reached with my free hand towards her ankle. She gasped at the sudden impact, and tried to pull away._

 _"_ _What did I just say!" I snapped at her hoping to scare her into obedience. It worked. She stopped struggling and let me take her foot. Placing her foot onto my lap, I managed to undo the cuff around her ankle. When her restraint was free, she went to touch the raw and blistered skin. I smacked her hand away. "Sit still!" She went stiff at my order. I immediately warned myself that I was going a little too strict._

 _Reaching for the rag in the bowl, I placed the soaked material over her raw skin. She hissed at the sudden contact and turned away from the pain. Her body twisted so her ankle was still on my lap but her face was buried into the cot._

 _"_ _See what happens when you try to tear your foot off."_

 _She mumbled something into the cot that I couldn't make out._

 _"_ _What?"_

 _Turning back toward me, she snapped, "I wouldn't have to if you would just let me go!"_

 _I dropped the rag back in the bowl and shoved her foot off. She yanked away from me and scoot back so there was some distance between us._

 _"_ _I've gotten too far to lose," I simply said. Standing from the cot, I looked down at her with narrowed eyes. "You're worth a lot. My father will be thrilled when I bring him the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe."_

 _She frowned. "Why are you so eager to please your father?" She pulled her knees to her chest for comfort. "There's more to life than just making your dad love you."_

 _I was surprised by her words. I quickly thought of an answer. "I don't need to explain myself to you." Turning, I walked back over to the table where the map was._

 _"_ _I know to you the Avatar and I are just some prize…" Her sudden words stopped me in my step. "But you shouldn't look at people that way… We aren't animals meant to be placed in a cage the rest of our lives."_

 _Looking back at her, I saw her eyes staring down at the fabric of the cot. As I did so, I noticed from the burning candles in the room that she had more tears falling._

 _"_ _No one said you are being put in a cage," I muttered, although I knew the place she would be locked up would feel like one. "The Fire Nation isn't that savage."_

 _"_ _They wiped out a whole nation..." She met my eyes once more. "They've destroyed the balance that once stabilized the world."_

 _I went to argue, but quickly I stopped. I realized I didn't really know what to say to defend my people. She was right._

 _"_ _I can change that… Once I become Fire Lord…"_

 _"_ _Really…" She fell silent for a moment. Then she softly asked, "When you become Fire Lord will you let Aang and I go…? You'll have your honor back… You won't need us anymore…"_

 _Her question surprised me. My shoulders drooped in uncertainty. "I'll fix things… I'll make the world right again…"_

 _She stood suddenly, and then walked over to me. Her eyes burned from the reflection of the candlelight. I was surprised by her sudden brave action. "You really want to make the world right again…?" She crossed her arms and looked down with sadness. "Then stop chasing after a kid and start doing something… You've clearly seen the world… You know what's wrong with it…"_

 _I was surprised by her words. "Give up the chase?! Are you mad?! I will not lose the Avatar! I will not lose my honor!"_

 _She met my gaze. "You know, Prince Zuko…" She stepped forward, taking the boldest step I had ever seen her take in the days I'd known her. "Honor comes in many different ways."_

 _I scowled. Pointing at my face, I snapped, "The only honor I want is my birthright! This scar reminds me every day that I have to keep fighting for what I desire."_

 _She stared at me for a moment, and I saw her hand brush against her own marked skin. She frowned. "You know… Scars may be reminders of the past. However, they are also signs of hope." Taking a step closer to me, I was amazed when her finger suddenly brushed against my scar. "We were born not thinking one day we would experience pain…" She dropped her hand to her side. "Yet we've both been through something horrible. However, our lives didn't stop the day we were both given these scars. I don't know what happened to you, but we're the same. We are both alive and fighting to survive."_

 _Her words stunned me. I didn't know what to say. My eyes shot to her scar with bewilderment._

 _She stepped back and walked over to her cot. Sitting back down, she pulled her ankle close and examined the damage she had done to her skin. "I'll continue to fight to survive…"_

My eyes shot up at the rising sun as I came out of my reverie. My hand went up to my scar and I brushed against the skin in deep thought. A heavy sigh escaped me and I dropped my head back on the tree behind me. As I did, I shut my eyes thinking about the one person I missed more than anything. "I'll survive, Crys… For you…"

 **Crystal POV**

"Crystal! Slow down!"

Katara raced after me as I moved forward across the desert with determination. Momo and Sokka lingered behind, while Toph dragged the two along. About an hour earlier Sokka had found a cactus and cut a piece of it creating a bowl. He then sipped the cactus water and began to hallucinate. He kept sputtering out nonsense, and Momo who drink some with him was in a hypnotic daze.

"We have to get out of this place. Sokka and Momo are out of their minds. The last thing I need is the rest of us ending up that way!" Stopping in my step, I turned towards my sister who stopped before bumping into me. "We have no water left, Aang is off at who knows where, and creepy birds are circling around us like we're going to die any second. I am not going to stop until we're safe and on a path to Appa!"

Turning on my heel, I headed forward again. Katara ran ahead and stepped in my path. She grabbed my shoulders and shook me. "Crys! Calm down!" She held me firm and in place, her eyes tired but determined. "I know you're angry… But we need to all keep our heads. Please calm down and breathe…"

My shoulders slumped. "Breathe…? How can I breathe when getting stuck out here could've been prevented!" I jerked from her hands. "If I had fought harder then we would've been out of this desert already!"

"Crys…" Katara let out a heavy sigh, and then reached forward pressing her hand to my cheek. "None of this is your fault. I know you're still blaming yourself for Appa. It will be okay… We'll find him. I know we will. Right now though, I need you to stay with me. Please keep your head. We already have Sokka's mind gone… I don't need you gone as well."

Her words surprised me. However, my racing heart calmed. I sighed heavily, dropping my head in dismay. "You're right… I'm sorry…" My fists tightened. "I just want to protect everyone."

"I know…" She brushed a tear that fell. "But you also need to think about yourself as well. I know your still tired from yesterday. Don't overdo it. We're getting out of this desert. I know we are."

"We're having dessert! Yummy!" Sokka rushed between us suddenly, searching around wildly. "Where's the dessert! Where!"

He turned with a shaking body towards me. Momo chattered drunkenly on his shoulder. The lemur fell to the desert ground, and then began to lick at the sand. Toph slapped her forehead in the background, while Katara picked Momo up.

"Sokka… I didn't say dessert. I-"

He grabbed my shoulders and shook me. "Hungry! I'm so hungry!"

Something suddenly rose up in the sky in the distance, and we all turned to look at the shape in shock. A huge blast had shot some form of smoke up in the air, and from the distance it looked like a giant mushroom cloud.

Katara had followed my gaze and was horrified. "What is that?"

Toph had no clue what was going on. "What? What is what?"

Sokka beamed and held his hands up in the air. "It's a giant mushroom! Maybe it's friendly!"

"Let's just keep moving. I hope Aang's okay..." She took Toph's hand and started to lead her away. She held Momo in her other arm to keep the lemur from flying away.

"Friendly mushroom! Mushy giant friend!"

I sighed heavily. Walking over to Sokka, I grabbed his arm. "Come on, Sokka. Time to go. I'll get you a mushroom as soon as we're out of the desert."

He whined as I pulled him along. "But I want that mushroom!"

"Okay," I said, trying to coax him along. "Well when we get out of the desert I'll get you that mushroom."

He jumped forward and hugged me from behind. "Aw! You're the best sister ever!"

I tried to pull from him. "Sokka! Cut it out!"

He walked forward still hugging me. I had to stumble to keep my balance. "No! I can't let you go! The sand will eat you!"

Katara looked back at us. "Sokka! Get a hold of yourself!"

"He just had to drink the juice," Toph muttered.

Somehow I managed to wiggle out of Sokka's hold. Stepping a few steps ahead of him, I looked back saying, "Follow me Sokka. The yummy mushroom is in this direction."

He nodded. "Okay! Lead the way sis!"

Grabbing his arm again, I began to lead him forward. Katara was relieved to see I'd gotten him to follow, and the two of us kept the group moving forward. Eventually we stopped once more to take a breather. Our mouths all tasted like sand as we desperately desired water. Toph was starting to stagger behind, while I practically had to drag Sokka along. All of us were starving, but Katara and I knew we had to keep everyone's hopes up.

As we walked, Toph spoke. "Someone tell me we'll find some food soon. I'm starving. We haven't eaten anything in twenty-four hours…"

"We'll hopefully be out of this desert by the morning," I spoke with hope. "I know we have to be getting closer to civilization."

Katara nodded. "We have to keep moving. We can't give up until we get somewhere with water and food." She stopped and passed around her water moccasin. "Just a little everyone. We need it to last a little longer."

We each took a small sip to quench our thirst ever so slightly. I made sure Sokka and Momo only took their share, knowing they were half out of their mind from the cactus juice. When we were done, Katara placed the cap back on looking dismayed from how light it felt.

"Come on… We'll walk a few more hours and then rest again at sunset. We're going to make it…" Katara looked back at me with a weak smile. "We all just need to stick together."

Nodding, I took Sokka's hand again and led him forward. As I did so, I thought about my time journeying with Iroh and Zuko in the Earth Kingdom. My hand tightened around Sokka's for comfort.

 _Staring up at the stars, I felt the itchy grass below me poke up through my dirt-stained dress. Zuko lay beside me having fallen asleep. Iroh's snores could be heard beside us from the other side of the dying campfire. As they slept, I followed the constellations in the sky enjoying the moment of peace. My eyes eventually left the sky, and I gazed over at Zuko's sleeping face. Staring at his closed eyes, I couldn't help but smile._

 _He looked so peaceful._

 _Turning on my side, I reached my hand forward and lightly brushed his black hair from his face. His hair had gotten longer over the weeks, and I liked it that way. I told him it made him look much more like the Zuko he really was. His strict up-do suited the Prince Zuko I'd first met, but his new style suited the Prince Zuko I'd come to love._

 _Brushing another strand back, I enjoyed the feel of his soft skin on my fingertips. As silently as I could, I scoot over so I could get closer to the sound of his breathing and the warmth from his body. Shutting my eyes, I let my hand drop and smiled as his breath hit against my skin._

 _"_ _I love you, Zuko," I whispered softly. "So much…"_

 _A sudden warmth wrapped around me, and I opened my eyes in surprise to see Zuko was awake. His eyes stared at me through the cool night air. His arms had slid around me, and I was pulled to his body. His hand brushed through my hair and down to the bend of my back. His lips then pressed to my forehead softly. He pulled away but brought me against his body hugging me to him._

 _"_ _Me too," he whispered into my ear._

 _I smiled more as the two of us drifted to sleep, our hearts being our lullaby._

My hand reached up to my hair as I ran a hand through it. Then I moved my hand to my necklace and clenched the crystal tight. My other hand still gripped Sokka's hand tight as he followed in a trance.

"So tell me…" Katara suddenly spoke up bringing me out of my thoughts. "Why did you hide your waterbending from us for so long? Were you scared we'd be angry?"

I grimaced and released my necklace. My thoughts took me back to when Sokka and Katara learned about my bending: the day I met Zuko. Looking at the sand below me in defeat, I stated, "I don't know… I guess I was worried you would be disappointed in me." A pause fell between us. Kicking some sand, I added, "If I had found out I was a bender before the attack, mom might still be alive…" I avoided her gaze. "I think another part of it was that you were so happy being the special one in the tribe. I loved seeing everyone so proud of you and your waterbending abilities. I didn't want to take away your position in the tribe. I already had enough attention on me because of my face…"

"Your face…" She was shocked by my confession. I'd never really mentioned to her that I was aware of the stares people gave me; the whispers behind my back as I walked by; the constant looks of pity. "Crys… Your scar has never made anyone look at you different."

A deep sigh escaped me. "I'm grateful you've always looked past my scar, Katara... but others in the tribe only see my mark… They see my face and think about everything we lost that day the Fire Nation came. I've always brought everyone painful memories… Children who weren't born at the time look at me as if I'm some exciting mystery, while elders turn away in pain… This scar made it difficult for me to be anything but a memory of that tragic day so long ago."

She frowned and looked out towards the horizon. "You shouldn't think that way… Your scar is a reminder to everyone that you're a fighter… Nothing more…"

I smiled weakly, realizing I'd said something similar to Zuko.

Katara noticed my expression. "What?"

"Nothing… It's just… I said the same thing to Zuko a long time ago…" I tightened my hold on Sokka's hand for comfort. "It's funny…" I paused as memories flowed through me of my time with him. "He never saw me for my scar… He told me I'm beautiful, which is something I never imagined a guy would say to me."

"Crys…" Katara frowned, upset by my last few words. "Any guy would think your beautiful. You look so much like mom, and people say she was the most beautiful woman in the tribe."

I smiled weakly. "Thanks, Katara…"

A few minutes later a shadow suddenly flew over us, and a figure landed in our path. I immediately realized the figure was Aang. He plopped down on the sand holding his face in his hands with dismay.

Katara rushed ahead and stopped behind Aang. We stopped a few feet away.

Katara suddenly placed a hand on his shoulder, knowing he needed comfort. "I'm sorry, Aang. I know it's hard for you right now, but we need to focus on getting out of here."

"What's the difference?" Aang's pained voice made me cringe. I hated seeing the kid so upset. "We won't survive without Appa. We all know it."

She grimaced, pulling her hand from him. She tried to keep positive though. "Come on, Aang! We can do this if we work together. Right, Toph?"

Toph shrugged. "As far as I can feel, we're trapped in a giant bowl of sand pudding. I got nothin'."

Sokka pointed up at the sky suddenly. "Why don't we ask the circle birds?"

My eyes shot up to the buzzard wasps which had been following us all day. My feet were killing me, and I was exhausted, but I knew we had to keep moving.

"Ugh..." Katara grabbed Aang's staff. "We're getting out of this desert, and we're going to do it together! Aang, get up. Everybody hold hands. We can do this. We have to."

The night went on, and we stopped to rest periodically. Our water was dangerously low, but we tried our best to not think about what would happen when it was all gone. Sokka was sobering up little by little, and Momo seemed to be doing better since Aang rejoined the group.

As we all woke up from our hour nap, Toph muttered, "Yesterday my mouth tasted like mud. Now it just tastes like sand. I never thought I'd miss the taste of mud so much."

I sighed, standing from the sand wishing more than anything that we were out of the desert safe. My stomach was in agony from not having anything to eat for so long. I knew if we didn't get out in the next twenty-four hours we would probably all starve and die of thirst.

Looking up at the starry sky, I saw the moon above and sent a silent plea to the spirits. I didn't want to die in this desert when the world still needed saving.

"Appa!"

Aang's joyful cry caused me to jump. I looked over at him to see he was staring up at the moon. Glancing back at the giant orb, I saw the shadow of a cloud moving across the light.

"Appa?" Sokka stepped beside me. "But why would Princess Yue need him? She's the moon! She flies by herself!"

I rolled my eyes. It appeared Sokka still had a small amount of juice still in him.

Katara sadly spoke. "It's just a cloud." However, her voice rose in excitement. "Wait! A cloud!" She turned to Aang holding out her pouch. "Here, fly up and bend the water from that cloud into my pouch!"

Her words sent a small surge of hope through me. "Great idea, Katara!"

Aang scowled and grabbed the water pouch from her. He then snapped his glider open and flew up into the air. He was back only a moment later, and handed the pouch back to Katara. Katara frowned when she felt the contents.

"Wow..." Katara looked dismayed. "There's hardly any in here."

"It was worth a try," I spoke softly.

Aang scowled. "I'm sorry, okay! It's a desert cloud; I did all I could! What's anyone else doing! What are you doing?" He pointed his staff at Katara.

"Aang! Calm down!" I stepped forward.

Katara defended herself. "I'm trying to keep everyone together. Let's just get moving." She turned to me. "Lead the way, Crys."

I sighed heavily. Taking the lead, I began to follow the stars again. We only walked for a few minutes though when Toph suddenly let out a yelp.

"Ow! Crud! I am so sick of not feeling where I'm going!" I looked back at her to see she had fallen back and was holding her foot in pain. "And what idiot buried a boat in the middle of the desert?!"

My eyes widened. "A boat?" Turning, I rushed over to her. My eyes scanned the sand and I saw a wooden piece of something sticking up out of ground.

"Believe me, I kicked it hard enough to feel plenty of vibrations," Toph muttered.

Aang suddenly stepped beside me and swung his staff down hard. I gasped as a huge gust of wind flew at the sand blowing it away from us. As this happened a boat came into view, and I immediately recognized it as one of the sandbenders desert gliders.

Katara beamed and quickly got onboard. We followed behind.

"It's one of the gliders the sandbenders use!" Katara turned to Aang. "Aang, you can bend a breeze so we can sail it. We're going to make it!"

Aang nodded, although I could tell he was only doing so because he didn't want to be in this desert any more than the rest of us. As we managed to raise the sail, and Aang started to bend air at the fabric, we were all thrilled and relieved that we had found a way out. Looking back at the moon, I thanked the spirits for hearing my prayers.

As we sailed across the sand, bouncing about from the uneven terrain, I held onto the steer of the vessel moving us in the direction we needed to go. The rope burned my hands, but I held strong wanting nothing more than to get us all somewhere safe. Aang kept us going for a while, and I wondered when he would stop. As the sun started to rise again though, I saw in the distance we would have no choice.

"What is that?" I squinted my eyes to try and see over the wind what our approaching barrier happened to be.

Katara looked with me. "A rock! It's a giant rock!"

Toph beamed from where she sat on the glider. "A rock? Yes! Let's go!"

Katara sounded hopeful: "Maybe we can find some water there!"

Aang's dark tone surprised me though. "Maybe we can find some sandbenders."

Looking over at the young airbender, I saw him grip his staff tight. He looked ready to avenge Appa's kidnapping.

Eventually we reached the enormous mountainous rock, and leaving the sandbenders glider behind we all climbed up the twenty-foot form and managed to reach the top. When we reached the flat surface, Toph immediately dropped to the ground with glee.

"Ahhh... Finally! Solid ground!"

I watched as Toph made a winged figure in the sand, and smiled weakly glad to see her spirits were lifted.

"Hey! Check this out!" Sokka had wandered off from the group and was stepping into a cave that had a peculiar shape to it. There were identical caves on both sides. As Aang, Toph, and Katara followed Sokka over to the cave I stayed on the outside looking at the odd structure once more. Something of sticky substance was by my feet a few yards from the cave. Crouching down, I examined the substance for a second and recognized it quickly as honey. Iroh had used the same substance in his tea once long ago.

My eyes widened as a conversation I had with Iroh came to my mind.

 _"_ _What is that?" I gazed at the jar that Iroh had pulled out from a shelf in the private dining area of Zuko's ship. Iroh and I were eating dinner together while Zuko was off moping in his room. "I've never seen liquid like that before."_

 _Iroh grinned and opened the jar. "It's honey, made from the buzzard wasps of the Si Wong Desert." He held it towards me. "Have a taste!"_

 _I pressed my finger into the liquid and pulled it out. The sticky substance was cool on my finger as I placed it in my mouth. My eyes widened as the sweet taste filled my senses._

 _"_ _This is delicious!"_

 _Iroh smiled. "I should hope so. The man who sold it to me was stung by its creator. He lost his eyesight from the attack, and nearly his life."_

 _"_ _Buzzard wasps are that dangerous?"_

 _He nodded, scooping out some honey with a spoon and placing it in his tea. "Thankfully they're in the middle of the desert, so the possibility of getting stung by one is extremely slim. You would have to wander into their hive to evoke such anger."_

Looking at the three caves before me that I could clearly see were oozing honey, I glanced at the sky to see two buzzard wasps hovering far above.

Realization sunk in me. "Hey! Get out of there!"

I rushed to the entrance only to see Sokka's face was smeared with honey residue. A buzzing noise echoed from inside the hive. With horror, I rushed into the hive and grabbed Sokka and Toph by the shirt sleeve. Katara and Aang were surprised by my anxious action.

"Katara! Aang! Come on!"

They snapped out of it, and all four of us plus Momo managed to get out of the hive. The buzzing had grown louder, and I could only guess the whole hive of buzzard wasps were coming out of their home. Jerking Toph and Sokka to the side, Aang and Katara followed us with Momo running behind. Then a blast of air rushed past us as almost fifteen buzzard wasps flew out of the hive we were just in and into the air.

Part of me hoped they would keep flying and not come back, but we hadn't been lucky enough for my hopes to come true. The buzzard wasps turned in the air and came down toward us. One landed nearby, and Toph immediately shot a rock at it causing it to fly back and land injured. Aang used a blast of air to send another flying off of the rock we were on.

"I got this one!" Sokka shouted and lifted his water tribe sword swinging at nothing.

"Sokka, there's nothing there," Katara stated.

He grimaced. "Oh... I guess my head's not as clear as I thought."

A buzzing sound shot towards me, and I turned just in time to see a buzzard wasp shoot at me. Its sharp stinger was making a beeline towards me. With quick thought, I pulled the knife from my boot and swung it hard at the creature. The sharp blade cut through the stinger of the bug, and the creature shrieked quickly flying away. My heart pounded rapidly as I saw the piece of stinger I'd cut off lying on the ground beside me.

"We have to get out of here!" Katara cried, as she dodged another wasp. "I'm completely out of water to bend!"

My eyes shot over to Sokka who was still swinging at nothing. Toph was throwing rocks blindly in the air missing the wasps completely. Aang seemed to be taking out the most, but I knew he couldn't keep it up forever.

A squeak suddenly sounded, and I gasped looking over at a buzzard wasp to see Momo struggling in its hold.

"Momo!" Aang saw the abduction and whipped out his glider. "I'm not losing anyone else out here!" He took off in the sky after the buzzard wasp.

As he left, I felt Katara grab my hand. "Come on, we're going down."

Pulling from her hand, I said, "Get Sokka and Toph. I'll take the rear."

She was surprised by my sudden confidence. I think most of it was adrenaline. She nodded though and rushed over to Sokka. As she rounded up the hallucinating brother and blind earthbender, I turned to the wasps that were hovering above. Backing up, I muttered, "These things are a lot bigger than I imagined…"

One of the wasps took a shot toward me. I waited until the last possible moment, and then with speed I jumped to the side. The buzzard wasp missed me by an inch and instead hit the ground. Its stinger bent from the impact, and it landed on the ground unconscious.

This time the shrieks from the other hovering beasts were ones of rage. They didn't appreciate my actions towards their companion.

"Crys! Come on!"

Katara's cry from behind me made me back a few more steps, but I refused to turn. "Go! I'll catch up!"

I wasn't sure if she listened or not. I was however aware that if I turned around the two creatures before me were sure to strike. Gripping my knife tight, I took more steps back hearing nothing by my heart pounding in my ears.

Something suddenly landed beside me, and I shrieked as an arm slid around my waist and jerked me back. "I'm so over this!" Aang's snap from in front of me brought me out of my shock. With a hard swing, Aang shot air at the two wasps and they shrieked as they flew back hitting the top of the hard cave. They both fell down to the entrance of the hive unconscious. I was surprised by Aang's sudden fury, but quickly understood his frustration.

"Come on!" Aang turned towards me and grabbed me around the waist again. He whipped out his glider and shot us both in the air. I screamed when I left the ground, and wrapped my arms around his own waist. He released me when he saw I had a hold on him, and managed to fly us down to the sand below. As this happened, columns of sand shot up around us hitting the remaining buzzard wasps that hovered nearby. Aang eventually brought us back down to solid ground, and I stumbled at the sudden landing. Katara, Toph, Sokka, and Momo were already there and were looking at something in the distance.

Aang and I joined the others, and Momo squeaked running over and behind my legs to hide. Seeing the buzzard wasps were gone, I quickly placed my knife back in my boot, patting Momo in the process to reassure him. Then looking out before us, I saw a group of sandbenders stood with narrowed eyes. Their two gliders were behind them, just as the glider we had come on was behind us.

"What are you doing in our land with a sandbender sailer?" One of the men stepped forward slightly with his arms crossed. His face was uncovered, and so were the rest of the men. The man before us was in his early fifties and didn't look pleased. "From the looks of it, you stole it from the Hami tribe!"

Katara quickly tried to make peace. "We found the sailer abandoned in the desert. We're traveling with the Avatar. Our bison was stolen and we have to get to Ba-Sing-Se."

The man was surprised by our words.

The younger one beside him didn't look convinced. "You dare accuse our people of theft while you ride in on a stolen sand sailer?"

The man turned to the younger snapping, "Quiet, Gashuin. No one accused our people of anything. If what they say is true, we must give them hospitality."

He hung his head. "Sorry, father."

The older man's words made my breathing stop for a moment though. "That name…" My eyes shot up at the young man before me and my blood started to boil. Tightening my hand in a fist, I stomped forward. Pointing a finger at him, I shouted, "You!"

He was surprised. His eyes met my own though and the memory of our wrestling in the sand over a day ago returned to him. He stepped back in uncertainty.

Without a second thought, I went to lunge forward to attack the guy who had taken Appa. My brother rushed over and grabbed me to stop me. "No, Crys!"

I struggled, my eyes glaring daggers at the man whom I'd yanked off the sand glider so long ago. "Thief! You took Appa!" I yanked from my brother's hold and pointed a finger at him again. "Where is he?!"

"You stole Appa!" Aang's sudden rage from behind me caused me to snap out of it. The airbender stepped past me and extended his staff threateningly at Gashuin. "Where is he?! What did you do to him?!"

His father's men were shocked and glanced over at Gashuin with question. His father stared at his son with bewilderment.

Gashuin tried to defend himself, "They're lying! They're the thieves!"

Aang growled and shot a gust of air at one of the gliders the men had come on. His blast snapped the glider into two. He turned back to Gashuin with vengeance. "Where is my bison?!"

Gashuin's father stared at the broken glider in shock, and then glared at his son. "What did you do?"

He tried again. "I-It wasn't me!"

I scowled. "Don't lie!" Hot tears formed in my eyes. "You and your _friends_ tied Appa down and dragged him away! You shoved me off the glider, and I fought you in the sand! I know it was you!"

Aang turned blind with rage then. "You did what?!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't know he belonged to the Avatar!"

Aang gripped his staff tighter. "Where is he?! Tell me where Appa is!"

Gashuin looked very nervous. "I traded him! To some merchants! He's probably in Ba-Sing-Se by now! They were going to sell him there! Please! We'll escort you out of the desert! We'll help however we can!"

A sudden glow took over Aang then, and I was surprised as his tattoo's shined with an intense light. The wind around us suddenly picked up, and the sand began to blow in a vortex. As Aang started to lift in the air, Sokka grabbed Toph and I's hand.

Sokka had sobered up and took leadership again. "Just get out of here! Run!"

We all immediately rushed away from the young avatar who had gone into his spiritual state. As Aang let out all of his anger, I jerked my hand from Sokka and turned back to the heartbroken kid. As I did, I was surprised to see Katara hadn't followed us when we ran. Katara used all her strength to push through Aang's intense blast of wind, and managed to grab his glowing hand. She pulled his floating body into her, and then wrapped her arms around him in a strong hug. As she comforted him, the wind receded and the glow on Aang's body began to fade. He eventually dropped to the sand, and Katara knelt in front of him. She hugged him to her as he cried into her chest for his loss. As he cried, silence fell over the desert and all was calm once more.

Some time passed, and eventually Gashuin confessed to his father his ill deed. Sokka tried to keep things civil, and managed to ask Gashuin's father for a ride out of the desert and some water. The older man, who introduced himself as Sha-Mo, was more than willing to assist us. He felt terrible for his son's foolish and criminal actions. He told us that most sandbenders were honest men… There were a few however that lost themselves to greed.

Eventually, I made my way over to Aang and Katara with a canteen of water. Kneeling down beside Aang and her, I held the canteen towards him.

"Aang…" He looked over at me with agony. I tried to hold in my tears as I spoke to him in comfort. I was upset, but knew I had to be strong for him. He needed encouragement more than the rest of us. "I know your upset… But we're going to get him back…" I took his hand and placed the canteen in his grasp. "Remember what you told me… We're getting Appa back together… We have to stay strong for him."

The boy met my eyes, and I could see my words had comforted him. He nodded, gave a pained smile to me, and took a sip of the water to try and cool his anger. As he calmed down, Katara looked at me with gratitude. Nodding, I stood and walked back over to Toph, Sokka, and Momo. Momo was busy munching on a fruit that one of the other sandbenders had given him.

The young man named Gashuin approached me as I returned, and I glared at him to let him know he wasn't on my list of favored people. He hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry if I hurt you before… I was being stupid…"

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," I muttered. I looked over at Aang who was standing and handing the canteen over to Katara. Gashuin knew what I meant, and fear came over him at the thought of how the Avatar would react to his apology. He turned and walked back over to the glider too much of a coward to face Aang.

Toph suddenly walked over to me, and I felt her place a hand on my shoulder. "Hey. Thanks for the warning earlier… We would've been bug food." She dropped her hand. "You must've learned a lot from Zuko's uncle, huh? You knew before all of us that we were walking into a nest."

Looking back at the giant rock hovering over us, I felt my heart grow heavy. "He was a good teacher."

"Hey! Come on you guys! They're getting ready to shuffle off," Sokka shouted over to Aang and Katara, which also caught Toph and I's attention.

As everyone piled up on the two remaining sand gliders, I sat on the wood in both exhaustion and dismay. As the glider took off across the desert and towards civilization, I clutched my crystal locket again. My other hand was stained from the venom that had spilled when I cut the buzzard wasps stinger off. I hadn't even noticed at first, but now I could see my attack had left some evidence behind.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would wield a knife and actually manage to use it. A year ago, the idea of fighting a buzzard wasp would've been impossible to me. I couldn't believe the changes I had made over the time that had passed.

A lot had happened to me though. Not only was I torn from my home, but I had to fight off a psychotic man named Zhao, get tackled by a bloodthirsty Fire Nation princess, and have to say goodbye to the man I loved. I had changed so much over the year, and I knew my journey was far from over.

Looking back though, I couldn't help but notice that the fearful and timid girl that once resided in the South Pole was no more. I'd seen things, been places, and experienced more trials than I ever would've at the South Pole.

Taking my knife out of my boot again, I pulled my long hair in front of me and twisted it together to make it even. Then shutting my eyes, I pressed the blade to my strands and sliced through. My hair that once stretched past my shoulder blades to the bend of my back now rested just a little past the top of my shoulders. Looking down at the long strands I held in my hand, I tightened my hold for a second picturing myself back at the South Pole.

I pictured myself cowering in fear as my mother's killer came into my home so long ago.

I pictured myself crying out to the spirits after her death and being granted the ability to waterbend.

I pictured myself as a weak girl who knew nothing of the world except that the Fire Nation were all bloody savages.

I knew the truth about the world now. I'd grown and matured. I'd discovered that one's nation did not decide their heart. While some of the Fire Nation were cold-hearted, others were caring and generous. While some people of the Earth Kingdom were kind and considerate, others were thieves and scoundrels.

I was ready to see the world for how it truly was. I was ready to protect my family no matter the cost. I was ready to follow my heart and not let anyone decide my fate.

As I contemplated all of this, I let go of the strands and watched them fly off from the sand sailer and disappear into the cloud of sand being brought up behind us. Leaving my past behind me, I clutched my necklace again and shut my eyes.

I wouldn't give up. I'd protect my family, get Appa back, and see Zuko again. I'd survive and keep on fighting.


	33. A hopeful Journey

**Hey Readers!**

 **I'm super sorry this chapter took so long. Thanks for your continuous reviews and support. So much came up over this last month. I hope you enjoy though.**

 **Thanks,**

 **faithywaithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 33: A Hopeful Journey**

"Stop squirming!"

My sister snapped at me as she used Sokka's knife to slice the long strands of hair that were uneven. She had been appalled when she saw what I had done to my hair during our ride on the sand surfer. She whined about it constantly during the last twenty-four hours, and finally having had it I told her to just fix it if she was so upset about it.

"You still haven't given me an explanation to _why_ you did this to yourself."

We had spent the night at Sha-Mo's home at the edge of the desert. They were part of the Kumul tribe and had a small settlement about a week's walk from Ba Sing Se. Sha-Mo's son was forced to buy us supplies in punishment for stealing Appa from us. While he was off to the nearest town about twenty miles away, Sha-Mo's wife fixed us all up a wonderful meal of mixed veggies and meat. Thankfully she gave us water instead of cactus juice. We then spent the night in Sha-Mo's home, and set out the next morning with the supplies that Gashuin had gathered for us.

"I needed a change," I simply stated with a shrug.

Currently we were taking a lunch rest after walking a few hours that morning. Sokka was looking over some maps he had stolen from the library that had sunk beneath the desert floor. As he did so, Aang and Momo were napping in the grass; Toph was trying to motivate Aang to practice his earthbending.

"Can you imagine what Gran-Gran would say? Or dad for that matter! You shouldn't be so rash!"

In the Southern Water Tribe, cutting hair was not an acceptable practice for women. Long hair was usually a symbol of beauty and femininity in our tribe. However, I saw it as something else entirely. My long hair had been a tie to my past… By cutting half of it off, I was freeing myself from the power my people had on me.

I was in charge of my own destiny now.

"It's just hair, Katara." I felt her pull another strand and heard the slice of the knife. "It's not the end of the world."

"Crys! Your hair was so long and pretty!"

Sokka sighed. "Stop being ridiculous, Katara. Her hair's still long. Suki's hair is half the length of hers."

I smiled. "Thanks, Sokka."

Katara huffed. "You're just saying that to make me shut up."

He glanced up from his maps. "Well it's not working."

Taking Katara's momentary distraction, I stood from where I was seated cross-legged in front of her. She protested from behind, but I waved her off.

"It's fine, Katara. A few strands aren't going to kill me. Who's going to judge? We're practically wanderers anyway. No one is going to pay us half a mind."

Sokka spoke up. "She's right. Her hair will grow back anyway. Stop fussing and help me figure out these maps."

She placed Sokka's knife back in his shoulder bag. "No thanks. I need to go refill my water moccasin." She turned her gaze towards me. "Please don't cut off your toes while I'm gone."

I saluted her to let her know I wouldn't. She rolled her eyes and walked off towards the stream nearby.

Walking over to Sokka, I knelt down in front of him. "Thanks… She was going to pester me for hours…"

He rolled up the map he was gazing at, and then met my eyes. "Explain."

I was surprised by his one word. "What?"

He narrowed his eyes. "You know what I mean, Crys. Don't make me ask the same question Katara's been pestering you with."

I grimaced. Looking down at my knees, I smiled weakly. "I didn't just cut it for fun, okay… Is that what you want to hear?"

He placed his map to the side, and then crossed his arms. "Continue."

I knew he wanted me to feel guilty, but I felt at peace. "I did it to free myself from the past. I'm not the scared little girl you all remember at the South Pole."

Sokka was bewildered by my words.

"I'm stronger than I've ever felt," I continued. "I'm wiser than I've ever been. I feel so free, like I can be who I want to be. Dad and others of the tribe tried to control my life, and protect me as if I would break at any minute. I'm not that fragile being anymore though. I survived numerous days in a Fire Nation cell, fought off a ruthless man that wanted me dead, managed to escape from two Water Tribe warriors trying to take me to dad, and found you all after months of separation. The weak girl you grew up with is gone like strands of cut hair in the breeze."

He stared at me for a long time, taking in everything I had said to him. Then he surprisingly smiled. "You've become pretty poetic, huh?" I went to snap at him, but he continued to speak cutting me off. "You're definitely not the little sister I remember, Crys… and… as much as I hate to say it… I think being with Zuko actually did you some good." He sighed heavily. "He did something I was never able to do back home." He looked up at my puzzled expression with a weak smile. "He brought back that adventurous sister I had once known so long ago: the one who had climbed glaciers with me and helped me pull pranks on Uncle Hienu after he smacked us for misbehaving. The journey you've been on has brought you back to life."

I smiled. "It feels good to be alive again."

Sokka fell silent for a moment. Then he let out a heavy sigh. "You know… As much as I loathe the idea of you and the Fire Lord's son together, I know you're going to do what you want in the end… Just promise me that no matter what, you'll remember who you truly are… Whether you want to accept it or not, you _are_ Chief Hakoda's daughter. Your tie to the Southern Water Tribe is by blood…"

His hand suddenly enveloped my own.

"Don't completely throw aside your people for this guy."

I frowned and looked down at our hands. His rested over my own, grasping my hand with plea. Giving a small nod, I promised, "No matter how the future goes, I will never forget who my family is. I will never let anyone hurt you, Katara, or the tribe."

He seemed relieved by this. "Good… Because if you did I'd feed you to the Unagi."

I smirked. "I'd fight it off."

He rolled his map back out. "Yeah. You probably would."

A few more hours passed, and we had traveled another few miles. After we had our limits we made camp for the night with whatever we could find to lay on. Toph made a rock tent for herself, and Aang practiced his own rock tent making his look more like a dilapidated pile of rocks. Momo was the only one who could fit inside his tent. The rest of us found whatever soft pile of grass we could. As the others began to drift, I looked up at the stars in thought.

After we managed to find Appa again, what was our next plan…? Were we really going to invade the Fire Nation on our own…? As much as I wanted to believe we could, I knew there was no way just the five of us could win against a whole nation. That would take a miracle.

The thought of losing was unthinkable. I refused to let my brother, sister, Toph, or Aang become prisoners to the Fire Nation. My imprisonment had been minor compared to those who had been captured before me. While I came under the captivity of Zuko's fleet, others suffered worse captors who wouldn't mind inflicting torture on them.

I realized then that no matter what we had to win. The fate of my family, my friends, and the world relied on the five of us to survive and defeat the enemy.

Feeling restless, I got up and left the group to their dreams. Walking downhill, I came to the large stream we'd had to cross earlier before camp. Staring at the liquid that rushed by, I felt the moon above soak into my skin and move the blood in my veins. Lifting my hands, I let part of the water in the stream float up into the air. Taking everything Katara had taught me so far, I did each technique over and over until I got it right.

For a good two hours I practiced bending, and by the end I felt thrilled to see I could do the moves with much less difficulty than originally. I was so relieved that I had become just ever so slightly stronger.

The next morning, after I had gotten a few hours of sleep, Katara managed to rouse me from my rest. We packed up what little supplies we had, and then prepared to set out once more. We traveled northeast again with the hope that we would reach the area on Sokka's map that had a path to Ba Sing Se. When our senses seemed to be completely off, we began to worry that we were headed in the completely wrong direction. Sokka made us stop multiple times to try and decipher our whereabouts on his map. He had some luck.

"Okay. We just got out of the desert, so we must be around here," he pointed to an area on the map a little off from the drawn dessert. "And we need to go to Ba Sing Se, which is here. It looks like the only passage connecting the South to the North is this sliver of land called the Serpent's Pass."

Toph didn't seem thrilled by the name. "You're sure that's the best way to go?"

Sokka sighed. "It's the only way, I mean it's not like we have Appa to fly us there."

Katara smacked him. "Shush up about Appa. Can't you at least try to be sensitive?"

We all looked over at Aang who quickly tried to compose his expression.

Aang was surprisingly calm. "Katara, it's ok. I know I was upset about losing Appa before, but I just want to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se, and telling the Earth King about the solar eclipse."

I was surprised. The Earth King? When did they discuss this?

Katara was equally surprised _._ "Oh, well, ok. I'm glad you're doing better."

Sokka rolled up his map. "Then to Ba Sing Se we go, no more distractions."

"Wait, wait, wait! Where did this whole Earth King thing come from? I thought our top priority _was_ Appa?"

Toph smirked. "If you didn't sleep in all morning you'd have known, Princess."

Sokka answered me. "We decided our first step when getting to Ba Sing Se is to tell the Earth King about the solar eclipse so he can prepare his men for battle. If the Earth Kingdom fights with us we are sure to win." He stood and placed the maps into his shoulder bag. "Then we'll find Appa."

I frowned. I understood what they were saying, but I still felt Appa should be our top priority. I decided not to speak anymore on the matter, worried it would upset Aang.

"Hello there, fellow refugees!"

A male voice coming out of nowhere made us all jump and turn towards the intruder. I was surprised to find a familiar man of late twenties, with a bag slung over his shoulders and weathered clothing. Behind him trailed a girl around my age who was carrying two sets of bags. A familiar woman of mid-twenties walked beside her with a much larger bulging belly from the last time I had seen them.

They were the man and woman Zuko and I had encountered a long time ago, right before we arrived at Ling's village. I pondered in my head for a second their names, and then remembered: Than and Ying.

While I knew the two people I'd briefly met on my journey, I was unfamiliar with their third party. I wondered as they got closer if they would notice and recognize me. Part of me didn't want that, because I knew they would ask where Zuko was. I was certain they would recognize me though by my scar.

"Hi," Katara spoke for the group. "Are you all traveling?"

Than nodded, coming to a stop in front of us. He didn't notice me right away. "We're seeking refuge from the Fire Nation. Our home was invaded by some group called The Rough Rhino's and we were forced to run. My name is Than. This here is my wife Ying, and my little sister Kina."

"Nice to meet you," Katara spoke. "My name's Katara, and this is Sokka, Toph, Crystal, and Aang." As she pointed to each of us when she spoke our name, Than and Ying's eyes landed on me and recognition hit them both.

"Hey!" Than pointed to me. "Don't we know you?"

I grimaced and ran a hand through my hair.

"Yes… I remember you," Ying suddenly spoke. She stepped towards me, while the others watched in surprise. "You were with that young man with the scar… Your hair was longer then…" She looked around and saw he was not present. "Did your friend manage to find his Uncle? How did you end up with this group?"

Crossing my arms, I looked down at the ground with guilt. "I… I'd rather not say…"

She was surprised. Than seemed curious, but decided that they weren't getting answers out of me.

"Well whatever the answers are, I'm glad to see you're in good health," Ying stated, placing her hand on my shoulder in comfort.

I gave her a small thanks.

Aang eventually asked, "So, are you guys headed to Ba Sing Se too?

Than nodded. "Sure are, we're trying to get there before my wife Ying has her baby." He tenderly rubbed her belly showing affection for her and the baby inside.

Katara beamed. "Great, we can travel through the Serpent's Pass together."

The three of them gasped in horror at our intended destination.

Ying was the first to speak her objections. "The Serpent's Pass?! Only the truly desperate take that deadly route."

Toph grimaced. "Deadly route…" She whacked Sokka on the arm hard. "Great pick, Sokka."

Sokka rubbed his arm glowering at Toph. "Well, we are desperate."

Than quickly discouraged us from taking our original course, and offered to lead us to a place where we could get passage on a ferry right to the walls of Ba Sing Se. As the group started off behind Than and his family, I thought back to the time when Zuko and I had first met the man and his wife. My arms crossed for comfort as I worried about Zuko's well being. I hated not knowing if he was alright.

"So you met these people…?" Katara suddenly walked in pace beside me. "When was this?"

I looked down at the ground as we trudged forward. "Right after I escaped Kona and Jaka…"

She frowned. "Oh…" Looking up at the clouds, she let out a heavy sigh. "I wonder where dad is right now… Do you think he's worried about us?"

At the thought of my father, I felt my heart ache aware that I had betrayed him time and time again. I decided to tell Katara what she wanted to hear. "I'm sure he's proud of us, but also anxious to see us again."

"When he hears you joined us he'll be proud of you."

Kicking a rock, I thought up my reply. "You always look at things with great optimism. That's always been one of your good qualities."

"Crys…" She frowned. "I know you think dad hates you for the choices you've made in the past, but he'll always love you. He won't disown you for falling in love."

"I fell in love with the enemy. He'll never forgive me for that…"

"You don't know that…" She was conflicted by my words, and her voice broke off.

I smiled reassuringly to her. "Don't worry, Katara… Even if dad is angry with me, I know he won't completely banish me from the tribe. You don't need to be concerned about that."

She nodded slowly, but I could tell she would continue to worry.

Another hour of walking passed, and finally we were at the entrance to a dark tunnel that appeared man-made. Than led the way with his wife and sister following. We followed as well into the dark tunnel, hoping to make it back to light quickly. Momo whined through the darkness, and I heard Aang send him reassuring words. Toph told us we were almost out, which we quickly noticed by a dim light ahead.

From the grassy place we'd left only moments ago, we emerged among a huge cavernous inlet. There were three giant wooden ships bobbing up and down in the bay water a good distance away. The whole cavern was crowded with refugees of all ages, and some of them appeared to have been residing in the cavern for a while.

I was surprised by the number of desperate people. "I didn't realize there were so many refugees…"

Katara sounded dismayed beside me. "I know… I can't believe how many people's lives have been uprooted by the Fire Nation."

Than nodded. "We're all looking for a better life. Safe, behind the walls of Ba Sing Se."

At this point we parted from Than and his family. We wished them luck on their journey and made our way through the crowd. Sokka eventually asked someone where we went to acquire a ticket for the ferry and they pointed us to a long line to the side of the cavern. We seemed to stand in line for half an hour, and finally we were two steps away from the woman who sat up on a high stone perch looking down at her customers.

The cruel woman with a blemish on her face, glared down at an older man who wore green Earth Kingdom clothing. She pointed down at him with narrowed eyes.

"I've told you already, no vegetables on the ferry! One cabbage slug could destroy the entire ecosystem of Ba Sing Se. Security!"

A soldier suddenly destroyed the cart full of cabbages that was parked nearby with one swoop of his hand. The merchant fell to his knees in horror. Two Earth Kingdom soldiers stepped over to the man and dragged him away. He struggled and cried. "Dah! My Cabbages!"

The woman at the podium before us stamped a paper and then shouted with an irritated voice, "Next!"

Aang hesitated, but then stepped up to the podium. "Um, five tickets for the ferry to Ba Sing Se, please."

"Passport!"

Aang was stumped as he looked back at us with surprise. I felt dismayed. He turned back to the woman saying, "Uh, no one told us we had to have passports."

Sokka tried to intervene. "Don't you know who this is? He's the Avatar!"

The woman wasn't convinced. "Ah, I see fifty Avatars a day, and by the way, not a very impressive costume." She pointed at Aang's original air nomad wear with skepticism. Then she pointed at a group of boys who were all dressed in pathetic replicas of Aang's clothes, with painted arrows on their arms and foreheads.

Momo, who had been perched on Katara's shoulder, jumped over to Aang's.

The woman glared at Momo. "Besides, no animals allowed. Do I need to call security?"

This time I spoke up. "No… That won't be necessary. We'll just move on." I grabbed Aang's arm to pull him back.

"Hold up, Princess. I'll take care of this." Toph brushed past me and stopped in front of the woman. "My name is Toph Bei Fong, and I'll need five tickets." She slammed down a golden piece with her family crest on it. The woman's jaw dropped in shock. We were all amazed.

"Oh! The Golden Seal of the Flying Boar, it is my pleasure to help anyone of the Bei Fong family," the woman said.

Toph nodded. "It _is_ your pleasure. As you can see I am blind, and these four imbeciles are my valets."

I bit my tongue not to snap at her for her insult. I'd get her back later though.

The woman looked at Momo again. "But the animal…"

"Is my Seeing-Eye Lemur." Momo hopped over on her shoulder as if to prove it was so.

The woman contemplated Toph's words, and then let out a sigh. "Well, normally it's only one ticket per passport, but, this document is so official, I guess it's worth five tickets." She stamped five tickets for us, and then we were on our way.

As we walked off, Toph beamed. "I guess being part of a rich family does have its payoffs."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm getting you back for that 'imbecile' comment later."

Aang beamed. "Hey. At least we're in."

Sokka yelped suddenly, and I glanced over to see a girl in an Earth Kingdom uniform had grabbed him. "Tickets and passports please!"

Sokka was intimidated by the stranger. "Is there a problem?"

The girl who was around Sokka and I's age, poked him in the chest. "Yeah, I've got a problem with you. I've seen your type before, probably sarcastic, think you're hilarious, and let me guess, you're traveling with the Avatar."  
 **  
**Sokka narrowed his eyes. "Do I know you?"

She inched towards him. "You mean you don't remember?" She grabbed his collar and yanked him even closer. "Maybe you remember this!" She suddenly kissed him on the cheek, and my eyes widened. Katara and Aang smiled with realization. Toph looked as puzzled as me.

Sokka beamed with delight. "Suki!" He jumped forward and threw his arms around her. She returned his embrace.

I immediately realized who this girl was. Sokka had told me about how he'd met a Kyoshi Warrior named Suki at Kyoshi Island and developed a small crush on her.

Suki seemed delighted as well. "Sokka, it's good to see you!"

He pulled away from her, and then quickly bombarded her with questions. As he did so, Suki noticed me and interrupted him. "You must be Crystal. Your brother told me about you. I'm glad to see they were able to get you back from the Fire Nation."

She held her hand out towards me, and I took it with a weak smile. "Yeah… I'm glad to be back with them."

"I'm sure they're glad to have you back."

The group then began to talk to Suki, and while they did I looked her over understanding why my brother swooned for her. She looked strong and independent, but she had a feminine side to her that brought out her beauty. Her brown hair looked smooth, and her skin was a nice complexion. She had soft green eyes and full lips. She was definitely a girl any guy would notice.

Katara spoke suddenly, bringing me out of my reverie. "You look so different without your makeup, and the new outfit."

Suki nodded. "That crabby lady makes all the security guards wear them." She turned to Sokka. "And look at you, sleeveless guy. Been working out?" She was teasing him, and flirting.

Sokka beamed. "I'll grab a tree branch and do a few chin touches every now and then, nothing major." He flexed his muscles. I rolled my eyes at his flirting.

Aang looked around. "Are the other Kyoshi warriors around?"

"Yeah… after you left Kyoshi, we wanted to find a way to help people. We ended up escorting some refugees, and we've been here ever since." Momo jumped from Toph's shoulder over to Aang's to get closer to Suki. "Hi Momo, good to see you too." She scratched him gently in the ear. "So why are you guys getting tickets for the ferry? Wouldn't you just fly across on Appa?"

At the mention of Appa, the four of us hung our heads in dismay.

Katara sadly answered. "Appa is missing. We hope to find him in Ba Sing Se."

Suki looked sincere as she said, "I'm so sorry to hear that." She looked over at Aang who had tightened his fists. "Are you doing okay?"

Aang seemed annoyed _._ "I'm doing fine. Would everybody stop worrying about me! **"**

"Avatar Aang," a voice called from behind us. We turned to see Ying rushing over as fast as she could. **"** You have to help us! Someone took all of our belongings. Our passports, our tickets. Everything's gone!"

Katara gasped, and Toph looked sorry. Sokka and Suki gazed around in suspicion. Aang narrowed his eyes at the criminal act.

"Don't worry… I'll talk to the lady for you." Aang walked back over to the ticket lady to stand in line again. As he did so, Katara tried to comfort Ying along with her husband and sister-in-law. Suki, Sokka, and Toph appeared to be discussing alternatives if the worst came to worst.

Only a few minutes later Aang returned with irritation. However, he quickly covered his expression with reassurance. "Don't worry, you'll get to the city safely." I looked at him puzzled, not seeing any tickets in his hands. "I'll lead you through the serpents pass."

My eyes widened, and I heard the three new friends gasp in horror. However, after some convincing and reassurance that the Avatar would keep them safe, we were off. Toph returned her tickets, threatening to give an awful review for the lady's harsh treatment. Suki walked off to tell the other Kyoshi warriors she would be occupied for some time and be back in a few days, returning a few minutes later in traditional Kyoshi Warrior wear and face makeup. Sokka pulled out his maps again to exam along with Aang the quickest route to the pass, while constantly trying to discourage Suki from coming. Katara refilled her water pouch from a well that had been constructed for the refugees. While all of this occurred, I prepared myself for the worst. There had to be a reason it was called the serpents pass…

The walk to the pass was an extra three miles from the ferry harbor, and as we went Ying struggled to keep up. I could tell from her posture that she was very uncomfortable from the journey. I tried to keep her spirits up by telling her a few poems I had read during my time on Zuko's ship. She was eager for the distraction.

Eventually we reached what could immediately be identified as the Serpents Pass. A sign was posted at the beginning of the narrow strip of rock that crossed unevenly before us.

"Abandon all hope…" I muttered. "Well that's not reassuring."

Sokka and Katara looked over at me with bewilderment. Sokka asked, "Since when did you become so good at reading?"

I grimaced. "I had two good teachers for a few months."

Suki looked over at me puzzled. "What… You mean your captors?"

Than overheard and asked with curiosity, "Captors?"

Feeling uncomfortable with the questioning, I said, "We better get a move on before it gets too dark. We don't want to walk across this stuff without a light to guide us."

Taking the lead, I stepped out onto the narrow path to avoid the questions that wanted to follow. The only thing that did follow was the footsteps of the others as they walked behind me.

The pass was very narrow and extremely high the further we got. As we went, I did all I could not to look over the side of the pass, not wanting to see how high we were from the water below. My thoughts took me back to the day I fell off Zuko's ship during the storm so long ago. I didn't want a repeat of that horrible moment.

At the thought of Zuko, I couldn't help but grip the crystal necklace that rested on my chest. It had already been so long since our parting. I missed him already.

My distraction caused me to step down on a piece of rock that was more fragile than the rest. As I stepped forward, the ground beneath me cracked and I gasped as the earth gave way from below me. A shriek escaped me as I started to fall, and I was relieved to feel a hand grab my own to pull me back up.

"Crys! Careful!" Aang kept a strong grip as I tried to rebalance myself. He pulled me back away from the fallen rocks and I quickly leaned back against the wall of the pass to catch my breath. Sokka and the others had been walking ahead of me at that point, so I was lucky Aang hadn't gone too far ahead.

Katara rushed back over with worry. "Are you alright?"

Nodding, I shut my eyes to try and calm my racing heart.

"See Sokka! Stop worrying about me and more about your sister!" Suki snapped in the background. "I can take care of myself."

"Come on everyone… We need to watch our step," Toph said. "There are some spots on the pass that are eroded. I'll take the lead now."

Opening my eyes, I looked out at the water in the distance and saw a black ship on the horizon. I knew immediately it was the Fire Nation from the ships design. Katara noticed my eyes had been drawn to something, and she looked as well.

Katara gasped. "What are the Fire Nation doing out here?"

Suki answered her question. "The Fire Nation controls the western lake. Rumor has it they're working on something big on the other side, and they don't want anyone to find out what it is."

"Then we better move on and not find out," Than muttered. A second later he gasped as well, and I looked over to see him falling just as I had been. Toph caught him this time, placing a stone platform for him to fall on and then thrusting him back up onto the pass. His wife and sister grabbed him to steady him.

Among all the chaos, the rocks that had fallen below Than had caused much larger rocks to fall to the water below. The commotion was enough for the crew on the black ship in the distance to notice us. A flaming catapult suddenly shot from the ship and headed a beeline towards us.

Sokka shouted, "They've spotted us!"

I gasped. "Run!"

As we rushed up the pass, Aang shot out with his airbending towards the flaming attack and redirected it back towards the ship with a hard gust of air. The attack hit the control room of the ship but that didn't stop the attacks from coming. Another catapult was shot off and the flaming attack hit the rocks above us. A bunch of debris fell down straight towards Suki, and Sokka rushed forward to shove her out of the way. As that occurred, Toph bent a slope above Sokka which caused the debris to slide over him and out into the water.

"Suki, are you ok?" Sokka was on his feet now and had pulled Suki to her own. "You have to be more careful! Come on!" Sokka took the lead, pulling Suki along with him. I watched in bewilderment. Why was he being so protective of her?

Toph suddenly muttered from nearby, "Thanks for saving my life, Toph. Hey no problem, Sokka." Momo chattered on her shoulder in agreement.

Eventually we were out of the Fire Nation's range. Aang had damaged their ship enough to stop them from pursuing us. We then stopped for the night on a wide expanse of the pass, equally exhausted from our run in with the Fire Nation. There were pieces of wood from an abandoned cart that was rotting from years of neglect, and I managed to get a fire started while the rest of the group rested. As Sokka and Suki walked off to talk, Katara followed Aang to talk to him, and the others began to drift to sleep, I stared at the fire in thought.

My hand was wrapped tightly around the crystal on my neck as I thought back to the day I left Zuko. Sighing heavily, I said softly, "I wish I knew you were okay…" Zuko and Iroh were fugitives in the Earth Kingdom, on the run from the Fire Nation of all people. I feared the worse, having no clue where they were or if they were safe.

At the thought, my mind trailed to another who I was deeply concerned about. Appa…

Shutting my eyes, I felt my hand tighten around my necklace as pain shot through me. I was going to find him. I would get him back. My family felt that going to the Earth King to discuss the war was the first priority, but I knew different. I would search every inch of Ba Sing Se for Appa. I'd let him down once… I wouldn't do it again.

"Hey… You should get some sleep," Toph suddenly said, bringing me out of my wild thoughts. "We still have a long trip tomorrow."

Looking over, I saw her approach from her makeshift tent of rock. She stopped beside me and held a face of concern.

"Yeah… I'm headed there…" I released my necklace and stood from where I'd been in deep reverie. As I went to walk to the smoothest area of rock I could find, Toph grabbed my arm to stop me.

"I know what you're thinking," Toph suddenly said. "You don't have to look for Appa alone. We're going to all search for him after we talk to the Earth King. We should stick together in Ba Sing Se."

Pulling from her, I said, "I know what I need to do. Once we get to Ba Sing Se, I'm going to find him. I owe Aang that much."

"Twinkletoes doesn't blame you, and neither do the rest of us. You don't have to redeem yourself to any of us."

"This isn't about redemption," I said, tightening my fists as determination flooded through me. "This is about getting my friend back, Toph. Appa needs me, and I'm not letting him down again. I've been separated from the ones I care about too much lately. I'm tired of losing the ones I love and not being able to stop it. From now on I'm doing what I have to do to win."

She sighed heavily. "I get your point… But you also need to be careful… You don't know what lies within the walls of Ba Sing Se. It's not like your home in the South Pole. There are dangerous men there… I heard rumors from my father's guards that the city is full of dishonest people. You won't find many you can trust."

"I've met shady people in the past…" I began to walk away. "I can handle a few more."

The next day came with the rising of the sun. We all moved out once more along the winding and narrow passage of the pass. Sokka seemed to be letting up on Suki a little more, and I could see she was glad to have the space. Aang seemed to be determined as he took the lead to guide us across the rocky terrain. Toph alerted us if there were any dangerous places we needed to watch our step at. Eventually the path narrowed to the point where we were all in a single file line.

"Oh no…" Suki's voice alerted me, and I looked up from my steps to see the pass before us came to an abrupt end. We stopped at the path's abrupt end, shocked to see that the lake was covering part of the pass. The pass emerged a good four hundred yards ahead.

Katara looked over at me with silent thought. I knew exactly what was going through her head. Looking at the water before us, I felt confident that I could do what she was asking me to. Giving her a nod, she smiled with thanks.

Looking at the rest of the group, she said, "Everyone single file."

Katara and I took the lead then, the both of us taking one side as we bent the water away from each other. We managed to part the liquid enough to create a rocky path forward, and then brought the water above our heads forming a bubble of air. Than and his family were enthralled as we took our steps down below the lake's surface. Water surrounded us as Katara and I concentrated on manipulating the liquid to maintain its air bubble form.

Momo suddenly chattered, and I looked over to see him jump through the air bubble and into the water. He swam to chase after a school of fish, and I smiled returning my concentration to my bending. Suddenly, a dark shadow passed over the bubble from above, and I gasped at the large shape. Momo had jumped back into the air bubble, and landed on Toph's shoulder dripping wet.

Katara tried to keep concentration with me, but sounded scared. "What is that thing?"

Something huge suddenly crashed through the walls of our bubble _,_ breaking both Katara and I's concentration. The air bubble immediately started to drop down, and Toph quickly slammed her foot to the rock below lifting us through the crashing water above the lake's surface. Once we were above the water, we could clearly see what had surprised us from below.

The head of a colossal sea monster exploded from below the lake, extending its giant serpent like body above us all. The monster was the color of jade, and had a seahorse like head with a long lashing tongue. The monster roared deafeningly as it reared back its long neck _._

Sokka pointed upward in horror. "I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass." He then turned to Suki desperately. "Suki, you know about giant sea monsters. Make it go away!"

Suki snapped, "Just because I live near the Unagi doesn't mean I'm an expert!"

Sokka picked up Momo then, who was terrified behind him. Holding Momo up in idiocy, Sokka cried, "Oh great and powerful sea serpent, please accept this humble and tasty offering. Thank you."

 **"** Sokka!" I stomped forward and ripped Momo from his grasp. "No one's being sacrificed!" Momo hung behind me by my shirt in agreement.

The Serpent lunged towards us then, but Aang swept an arc of wind at its head, punching it backwards _._

Aang looked back at me."Katara and I will distract him. Crystal, get everyone across."

He didn't have to tell me twice. As he and Katara used their bending to advance on the beast, I bent an ice bridge in front of us that stretched all the way to where the pass began again. "Go everyone! Hurry!"

The group listened and rushed forward on my ice to escape from the middle of the lake. As they went, I remained on the rocky platform to keep the sheet of ice frozen. I noticed then that Toph hadn't left.

"Toph! Hurry! I can't hold it forever!"

Sokka heard and looked back from where he was pushing the group along. He shouted, "Toph, come on. It's just ice." He looked over at Aang and Katara who were sending multiple attacks at the beast with water and air. "We don't have much time!"

Toph put her foot out on my ice, and quickly shrunk back. "Actually, I'm gonna stay on my little island where I can see." A huge coil of the Sea Serpent crashed down beside us, and we both shrieked as water hit us. Toph didn't hesitate any longer, and rushed forward onto the ice. _"_ Ok, I'm coming!"

Sokka tried to guide her. "You're doing great! Just follow the sound of my voice!"

Toph snapped, "It's hard to ignore."

Sokka tried to encourage her. He was now standing on the rocky passage and looking at her with eagerness. "You're almost there. **"**

The serpent crashed beside us again from Aang and Katara's attack, and I watched in horror as my bridge cracked from below Toph. Toph screamed as she fell into the water, and began to thrash wildly.

I gasped. "Toph!"

"Help!" She cried. "I can't swim!"

Forgetting about the bridge, I ran forward on what remained and then jumped into the water. With the swimming knowledge Zuko had taught me, I swam over to Toph and got a hold of her. She grabbed onto me and thrashed wildly. Thankfully I didn't have to swim with her for long. Suki had jumped in too, and she swam over to us taking Toph from me.

"I got her," Suki promised. "Let's get to the others."

Nodding, I said a thanks and went to swim with her.

Aang's shout sounded abruptly. "WATCH OUT!"

Looking over in the nick of time, I saw the tail of the serpent heading a straight beeline towards the three of us.

"NO!"

Sokka's shout of horror made me move fast. With a harsh lunge, I forced the water around Suki, Toph, and myself to push us hard towards the passage. The waters assistance allowed us to dodge the tail, and the harsh splash behind us only shoved us closer to the passage. When we finally reached dry land, Suki helped Toph get onto the passage while Sokka took my hand pulling me up.

"That was an awesome reaction," Sokka praised. "I was worried you were about to be squashed by a giant monster."

I smiled weakly. "I've made it this far. I'm not going to let some creature of the sea stop me now."

Aang suddenly landed with Katara onto the pass, and they both rushed over to us with relief.

"We were sure that tail had got you," Aang admitted.

Suki spoke. "Thanks to Crystal we got out unscathed."

"I'm just glad Zuko taught you how to swim," Katara said to me, crossing her arms to calm her worry.

I nodded. "Yeah… Me too."

Eventually we started on the path again, and after a few more miles of treading along the narrow way we reached the expanding shore of the Earth Kingdom at last. When we got onto land, we were all relieved that the sea serpent hadn't returned to exact revenge. Sometime during our walk on land though, Ying's water broke and we had to immediately stop. Managing to get Ying to a shaded area with soft grass, Toph bent a tent for Ying to have privacy during her birth. For the next three hours, Katara and I used the knowledge we learned back at the South Pole to help Ying with her childbirth. Than and his sister stayed by Ying's side, which made the tent a little cramped. I decided not to complain though.

Finally, after hours of labor, a newborn baby was held in my bloodstained arms. As I held the fragile sleeping person, Katara used an old shirt from Than's bag to wipe the baby off. Then she took a torn blanket that Than also had in his bag, and managed to wrap the baby in it. Once the child was clean and covered, I carefully handed her over to her mother.

Ying beamed with delight as she held her little baby girl in her arms. Than embraced his wife and kissed his new daughter on the head. Than's sister joined in by stroking the baby's cheek and wiggling its tiny toes.

Finally leaving the tent, I was relieved to feel the fresh air on my skin again. Being cramped in a rocky tent for hours had been constricting. Finding a stream, I managed to wash off the blood that had soaked into my skin. Once I was cleaned off, I walked back over to the tent where the others had entered. Staying outside, I listened to the voices inside making out everyone's excitement at the new life. As Ying named her child Hope, I smiled. Hope had gotten us across the Serpents Pass, and also through the desert. Hope had allowed me to see my family again. I had hope I would find Appa, and Zuko and I would one day be reunited.

Hope was perfect…

"Crystal… I need to talk to you," Aang suddenly said, emerging from the tent with a serious expression. He grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the tent at a distance from the others. Momo was on his shoulder, looking at me as well with his big eyes. I waited for him to speak first. He let out a heavy breath. "Toph told me your planning on splitting from the group in Ba Sing Se to go find Appa."

I was amazed, and then irritated. Toph had a big mouth.

Aang saw my cringe as confirmation. "I need you to stay with the others. Toph and I both agree that you've been away from the group too long to split off again. I'll handle finding Appa. I know he's out there, and I'm going to search every inch of Ba Sing Se until I have him back. Just be patient."

"Wha- Aang…" His words surprised me. "I can help you! We can search together."

He frowned. "I'll be able to cover more ground with just myself. I can fly over the city for hours if I have to. Besides… I need you to take care of everyone until I get back."

Hanging my head, I crossed my arms in defeat. I knew I couldn't argue with him.

"Hey… Everything okay you two?" Katara had come out of the tent and walked over to us with question.

Aang stepped from me and approached her. "I thought I was trying to be strong, but really I was just running away from my feelings. Seeing this family together, so full of happiness and love, it reminded me of how I feel about Appa... and how I feel about you."

Katara's eyes watered, and she lunged forward giving him a hug. Momo jumped off his shoulder in the nick of time and landed beside him. Suki, Toph, and Sokka had come out of the tent as well and approached with understanding.

Aang pulled from Katara with a weak smile. "I promise I'll find Appa as fast as I can. I just really need to do this."

Sokka nodded. "See ya in the big city."

Toph added, "Say hi to that big fuzzball for me." She slugged Aang in the arm, which caused him to wince.

Katara spoke at last. "You'll find him Aang."

Aang nodded. "I know. Thank you, Katara." He looked over at me apologetically. I only nodded letting him know I understood. He whipped out his glider and then raced off with Momo in pursuit. As the two took off into the air, and then disappeared over the bend of the hill, I sighed heavily.

Toph walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry... Once we get into the city we'll also search for Appa. Just let twinkletoes get a head start."

Knowing she was right, I told her I'd stick with the group and let Aang do what he needed to. After Aang took off, Sokka and Suki walked off to part ways. She was headed to the ferry outside of Ba Sing Se to get back to the other Kyoshi warriors. Once she was gone, much to Sokka's dismay, the four of us set off towards the gates of Ba Sing Se with Ying and her family in toe. We walked at a slow pace, knowing Ying was weak from just giving birth. After treading over the hilly landscape for a few minutes though, we finally saw the enormous stone wall of Ba Sing Se.

Than let out a shout of thrill. "We've made it! Look at the sight of it! Beautiful! Just as I imagined!"

As we approached the wall however, using a narrow pass to get closer, a familiar shape swooped down and landed in front of us. Momo landed beside him with a look of dismay.

"Aang," Katara began. "What are you doing here? I thought you were looking for Appa?"

Aang hung his head. "I was, but something stopped me. Something big."

I felt a sudden sense of dread. "What… What is it?"

He looked at all of us. "We need to get up and over the wall. I'll show you on the way." He glanced at Toph. "I need your help to get us up there."

Toph knew he was indicating this to her. A minute later we all were on a rock platform as Aang and Toph used their bending to elevate us up the wall. As we went, I looked out at the scene before me immediately seeing what had gotten Aang so frazzled.

Sokka asked as my own horror set in, "Now what's so big that Appa has to wait?"

Aang pointed at the very object I'd noticed. "That."

The group all saw the machine now as we ascended up the wall. The long drill with its moving parts and hot steam looked like a worm was trying to eat through the wall of the city. On the side of the machine was the painted emblem of the Fire Nation. The drill was trying to break through the indestructible walls of Ba Sing Se, and looked like it was winning.

The one city left safe from the Fire Nation's control was about to lose everything.


	34. Taking Down the Beast

**So... This chapter took much longer than I planned. School work got insane... Please continue to be patient with me. Thanks for all the reviews and support. Keep them up. They keep me writing. I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but I'll work on it whenever I can.**

 **-Faithy waithy**

 **Chapter 34: Taking Down the Beast**

They told me not to be so rash, but I didn't listen. As I ran across the top of the shaking and jerking machine, I heard Aang shout behind me to stop. I didn't listen to him. The spiteful person before me had brought out my anger enough to make me block out all pleas from Aang. Azula grinned as I approached her, and then charged up her fingers producing sparks of blue light. I was ready for her. There was no way I was losing to her again.

As Azula shot the lightning towards me, I threw water straight at the blast. Our attacks collided, and a hot gust of air shot towards me causing me to fly back. Landing hard on the moving machine, I cringed as my body vibrated in pain. How did I end up like this?

Five hours ago, Aang and Toph were scaling us all up the wall of Ba Sing Se with Than and his family. As we ascended to the top of the barrier, we saw the massive drill in the distance trying to break a hole through the wall of the city. Ying let out a sob once we were on the flat surface of the wall, hugging her newborn baby close to her and crying, "We made it to Ba Sing Se, and we're still not safe. No one is."

I spoke up. "We have to do something!"

"And what would that be, Crys?" Sokka pointed to the Fire Nation device. "We can't fight off a strange drilly machine? It's bigger than all of us combined!"

"You know…" I began. "Yesterday you were a boat load of confidence, but now you're acting like we've already lost. Don't tell me everything you did yesterday was just to impress Suki."

Sokka's cheeks turned a shade darker. He went to argue again but was cut off.

"What are you people doing here? Civilians aren't allowed on the wall."

Looking over, we saw a man in Earth Kingdom attire walking over to us with narrowed eyes. His suspicion almost made me laugh. A bunch of kids, one man, a woman, and a baby weren't exactly intimidating in my book.

Aang stepped forward with confidence. "I'm the Avatar. Take me to whoever's in charge."

Toph beamed. "Cool! Let's go kick some Fire Nation butt."

Looking down at the drill, I narrowed my eyes. My thoughts took me back to one of my conversations with Iroh a while back. I'd been told something like this was coming. I hadn't expected it so soon though.

 _"_ _So Ba Sing Se… It must be a huge city," I stated, placing another tile on the Pai Sho board._

 _Iroh nodded from across the table, tapping his chin in thought. Picking up a tile, he said as he placed his move down, "Yes. It's the largest city in the world. I fought many times outside of its walls. While the borders are impenetrable, I did manage to break into the city. Each section stretches for miles."_

 _I was surprised. "How did you get into the city?"_

 _He tapped his forehead. "I have my ways. Being able to breathe fire also has some plus sides. They don't call me Dragon of the West for nothing..." He picked up his sacred lotus tile, and went to place it in front of the tile I'd just put down. My eyes widened as he won the game once again. "Of course, if I had known the loss I would receive from the war I would've never participated."_

 _I knew Iroh spoke of his son, and frowned. He had told me about Lu Ten's death, and I was aware it was one of the reasons he retired._

 _"_ _Do… Do you think the walls of Ba Sing Se will continue to hold out against the Fire Nation?"_

 _Iroh met my gaze. Then he let out a heavy sigh and sat back against his wooden chair. "Unfortunately I do not… I hear the Fire Nation is working on something big. It will only be a matter of time before the wall is penetrated and the city is taken."_

 _I felt dread fill inside me. "Wha- what could be big enough to penetrate the walls of Ba Sing Se."_

 _"_ _I'm not sure. I hear it's a machine of some sort. They've been working on it for years." Iroh leaned forward then. "Of course, there is always a chance the Avatar can stop the machine before it breaches the wall."_

A few minutes after Aang had asked to be led to the person in charge, Ying and her family were directed away from us towards the entrance to Ba Sing Se by some other soldiers. Once they were gone, the man who originally spoke to us gestured for us to follow him in the opposite direction. As we headed along the perimeter of the wall, I glanced multiple times at the machine. I was curious to how it was powered, and tried to think of a million ways to take it down.

"This way," the man said, leading us into a barrack area with a roof and multiple crates and barrels. Men were lying on the ground covered in bandages and groaning in pain. Other men were seated on the wooden crates looking weary and exhausted. At the end of the barracks was a large desk with a man seated behind it. He stood once we approached, appearing to have a slight hunched back. The man who led us to him walked over whispering something in his ear. The leader's eyes widened, and he stepped around the desk quickly.

"Greetings young travelers," the man spoke. "My name is General Sung. It is an honor to welcome you to the outer wall young Avatar, but your help is not needed."

Aang was bewildered. "Not needed?"

I looked around at the men who were injured or unconscious. "Are you sure…? It looks like you're running low on men."

The man nodded to me. " _Not_ needed. I have the situation under control. I assure you the Fire Nation cannot penetrate this wall. Many have tried to break through it, but none have succeeded."

Toph narrowed her eyes. "What about the Dragon of the West? He got in."

I was surprised she knew about that, but then remembered that she was from the Earth Kingdom. She would've heard about that from her tutors.

General Sung was startled by her perception. "Well...uh...technically yes. But he was quickly expunged. Nevertheless, that is why the city is named Ba Sing Se. It's the impenetrable city. They don't call it Na Sing Se." He laughed. "That means penetrable city."

I crossed my arms. "Looks like it's about to become Na Sing Se. We don't have time for this chatter!"

Toph was irritated too. "Yeah, thanks for the tour, but we still got the drill problem."

General Sung paced over to the side of the barracks where he could look out at the drill below. We followed him with doubt.

"Not for long. To stop it, I've sent an elite platoon of earthbenders called the Terra Team."

Sokka thought out loud, "That's a good group name, very catchy."

Rolling my eyes, I looked down at the drill watching as it continued to break into the walls stone. Tanks were flanked on both sides of the drill to protect the machine from being harmed. As the tanks advanced forward, a group of earthbenders appeared before the tanks, prepared to attack. The next few minutes came with a mixture of lunging boulders, overturning tanks, and burying them below the dirt.

"Hey… Aren't those Azula's minions?"

Katara's question startled me. I'd been so invested in watching the earthbenders and tanks that I hadn't noticed two teenage girls running on top of the drill. One of them was tall and thin, and the other was shorter and more agile. They both slid down the side of the giant drill and landed on the earth. In the process, the tall lean girl had thrown what looked to be knives at the earthbenders who used a rock shield to block her attack. However, the smaller agile girl leaped over the shield and hit every one of the soldiers knocking them all down.

I felt dread fill me. "Azula… As in Princess Azula?"

General Sung, who had been looking through a telescope to watch the scene, dropped the device and cried, "We're doomed!"

Sokka scowled. Turning, he smacked the man on the side of the head. "Get a hold of yourself man!"

The General stared at my brother in surprise. Then he nodded, rubbing the spot he'd been hit. "You're right."

Toph crossed her arms. "Maybe you'd like the Avatar's help now?"

He turned to Aang and hung his head in defeat. "Yes please…"

Aang looked over the wall with thought. "The question is, how are we gonna stop that thing?" He and Katara looked over at Sokka expectantly.

Sokka was surprised by the sudden attention. "Why are you all looking at me?"

Aang pointed at Sokka with expectancy. "You're the idea guy."

Sokka held his hands in the air. "So I'm the only one who can ever come up with a plan? That's a lot of pressure."

Katara added **,** "And also the complaining guy."

Sokka pouted. "That part I don't mind."

Looking back at the drill, I examined the machine from back to front. As I did so, I watched the two girls clamber back onto the machine and drop down through a round door at the top. My eyes widened as a thought came to me. Memories took me back to the day Zuko and I were almost killed in an explosion. The pirates had been so successful in destroying the ship because they managed to get inside it undetected. They planted their bombs within the vessel to break it from the inside since the outside was too strong to penetrate.

"Crys… You okay?" Katara placed a hand on my shoulder, bringing me out of my thoughts.

Looking over at her, I smiled and nodded. "Yeah… I actually think I may have an idea."

The group was surprised. Sokka beamed with delight though. "See! I'm not the only one who can come up with plans."

Toph muttered under her breath, "Must be a twin thing then."

Aang was the first to ask. "What's your idea?"

Looking at everyone, I answered, "This may sound crazy, but if I'm right we may have a chance. Clearly, the drill's outside is too tough to break down. However, something on the inside is allowing it to run. All we have to do is sneak into the machine, stop whatever is powering it, and make sure it can never be used again."

"Wait… You want us to break into that thing?" Toph sounded unsure. "From what I can see with my own two feet, the thing is huge. It will take us forever to find a way in."

I shook my head. "I already found it. The two chicks just slipped back into the machine through a door. That means there has to be other entrances along the machine. I can take us straight there… However, we need to stay hidden until we get there."

"Crys… I don't know about this…" Katara seemed worried. "What if we get inside and there's soldiers everywhere?"

"Then we take them down," I spoke with confidence. "We've all done it before."

Sokka, Aang, Toph, and Katara were surprised by my sudden determination. Toph smirked though and said, "I'm with Princess. Let's kick some Fire Nation butt."

 **Third Person POV**

Sitting on the tram, Zuko frowned as he stared out the window at the passing city before him. His uncle sat beside him, cooing at a baby that slept in its mother's arms. Zuko had immediately recognized the woman as the one he had seen on his journey with Crystal. Her name was Ying, and the last time he had seen her she was still pregnant. Her husband sat beside her, talking to a girl around Zuko's age who looked tired from the journey they had come. Zuko lowered his straw hat more on his head, not desiring to be recognized by the family.

As he gazed back out the window, his thoughts went to Crystal. If only she could see him now, heading to the lower ring of Ba Sing Se to live in disguise as a commoner. He'd lost his title, and was being shoved right in the middle of the very city he was taught to fear as a child. He had no clue what was to come once he got into the city.

"We would've never made it to Ba Sing Se without the help of the Avatar and his friends," Ying suddenly spoke to Iroh, brushing her hand across the newborn baby's forehead. "I was so worried we wouldn't make it, but they kept my hopes up. I named this little one Hope to remember those amazing kids."

Zuko tried not to reveal his identity as he listened to Ying. He had heard her say "the Avatar" and his attention spiked.

"I must ask," Iroh suddenly said. "Among the Avatar's group, was there a young Water Tribe girl with a scar?"

At this question, Zuko looked over at Ying to see her reaction. Ying was surprised that Iroh knew a member among the Avatar's group. She smiled though with reassurance. "Crystal I believe is her name… Yes… She seems to be a strong and wise girl. She saved her friend during our time on the pass, and even helped me deliver Hope."

Iroh sighed with relief. "Good… I'm relieved to hear that."

Zuko let out a sigh of relief as well, glad to hear Crystal was okay. He was also surprised to find that she was so close to him. If they had helped Ying and her family into the city, did that mean Crystal was in the city as well?

The sudden thought made Zuko fill with sudden hope. For the longest time he had dreaded never seeing Crystal again. However, from what he had just heard a new surge of hope blossomed through him.

 _What about the Avatar too? He'd be with Crystal!_

Zuko's thoughts shouted at him to remember his original mission. However, his heart cried out with thrill that he may see the one he loved again. It already felt like a life time since he'd had her in his arms.

 _You can have her and the Avatar!_

Rubbing his forehead, Zuko tried to shake out the thoughts he did not desire. He knew they were wrong. Him and his uncle were supposed to be trying to make a new life. He couldn't jump right back on trying to find the Avatar. It would force him to abandon his uncle, which he'd already done once before. Also, he was aware that if he captured the Avatar he would lose Crystal. She'd hate him for imprisoning the Avatar.

Looking back out the window, Zuko watched as they passed over the agrarian section of Ba Sing Se. As he did so, he saw below some water-buffalo grazing by a pond. He smiled remembering Crystal's reaction when she saw her first water-buffalo so long ago. The creature had stepped out in front of their path during their journey through the Earth Kingdom, and Crystal had gasped and frozen in her step with horror. She'd never read about or seen such a massive animal before. Zuko had taken her hand and led her forward, reassuring her that the water-buffalo was completely harmless. As they passed, the water-buffalo watched them for a second and then turned heading back the way it came. Crystal relaxed once the creature was gone, but her hand had still held firm to Zuko which had made him blush.

 _"_ _You're such a scared little tiger-cat," Zuko teased, tightening his grip on the small hand in his own._

 _"_ _That thing was huge…" Crystal muttered, blushing from her reaction. "I was sure it would attack or something…"_

 _Zuko smirked. "I'm sure you could've taken it if it did."_

 _She shook her head. "No… I have a strict rule not to fight animals."_

 _Zuko rolled his eyes. "You fought that mouse-rat back on the ship pretty well when we first met."_

 _"_ _I didn't fight that thing! I was trying to get away from it."_

 _He laughed. "I remember how frazzled you were. You were all tangled in your blankets and looked like you had seen a dead man."_

 _"_ _Might as well have… That mouse-rat probably wanted me dead," she muttered._

 _"_ _Yeah… Nibbling your nose off will kill you in an instant," Zuko said, stopping and turning to her with teasing eyes. He reached his hand up and brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Although I'm glad it didn't fulfill its evil deed."_

 _She smiled weakly. "I'm glad you were there to save the day."_

A deep sigh escaped Zuko once more as he continued to think about Crystal. He hoped she was safe, wherever she was.

 **Crystal POV**

The world around us was dark and tight as Toph shoved the dirt away to make a tunnel for all of us. I could hear her working in front of us, having to stop every few seconds to shove the tunnel opening further. Each time she would stop, we would all bump into one another. I was at the back of the line, so I would bump into Aang.

"This is crazy!" Katara suddenly snapped. Her voice echoed around us. "Did the Fire Nation inject you with some crazy weird herbs or something while you were under their control?"

"Will you not shout so loud!" Sokka snapped. "I'm right in front of you!"

"Everyone shut up!" Toph ordered. "I'm trying to concentrate."

"I'm just saying…" Katara began. "Out of all the stuff we've been through, this is by far your craziest idea Crys!"

I sighed heavily. "Not really. I'd say agreeing to be Zhao's prisoner beats this crazy idea."

"Crys has a point there," Aang commented.

"Whatever ranking we're giving this one, it's still insane. We're about to break into a drill run by the Fire Nation! There's no telling what could happen."

My brow rose. "Sokka would've probably suggested the same thing if I hadn't."

"No. I would've suggested bombing the thing," Sokka thought out loud.

"With what?" Aang interceded. "I don't think the Earth Kingdom deals with explosives like the Fire Nation, Sokka."

"I'm just saying…" Katara spoke again. "We're about to break into a giant machine where anything can happen!"

"I'll tell you what could happen," Toph started. "But it's better to think positive." She stopped walking then, and said, "We're here. Everyone ready?"

Pressing my hand to the canteen that hung over my shoulder, I sighed heavily. "Yeah… Let's do this."

"Wait! One more thing," Katara began. "What happens if Azula's cronies show up? Or the crazy chick herself? Who's fighting them?"

Aang spoke up. "I'll handle Azula. Sokka… You keep the crazy girl with the chi blocking occupied, and the rest of you can handle the knife girl."

"You all better be quick," Toph ordered. "I can hold the machine back, but not for long."

"What?" Sokka was surprised. "You're not coming?"

She answered, "No way am I going in that metal monster. I can't bend in there. I'll try to slow it down out here."

I nodded, although I was aware no one could see me in the pitch black tunnel. Toph shot the dirt from above her out, and light seeped in. Cringing, it took me a moment for my eyes to readjust after being in the dark for so many minutes. Sokka gave us all a boost up, and we were soon back outside right underneath the giant shaking machine.

Aang pointed at an opening where a long pipe was going through, and rushed forward jumping up and grabbing onto it. He quickly hooked his legs and hung upside down holding his hands towards us. I quickly got the message and rushed forward grabbing onto his hands. He hoisted me up and I was thrust forward managing to land shakily onto the metal floor of the machine. Stepping aside, I turned in time to see Katara and Sokka emerge with Aang following a second later. Momo remained outside with Toph to give her company. Once we all were on the large machine, Sokka took initiative and led the way through the narrow passage of metal.

We ended up arriving in a room lit by burning pieces of coal and torches. There were pipes everywhere that creaked and groaned as the machine continued to advance towards the wall. I looked around with uncertainty, realizing I had no clue where to start.

"So…" I began. "From what I remember about Fire Nation stuff, the machine is powered by fire… These pipes have steam in them that creates enough pressure to make the thing move… Or something of that matter."

Aang tapped his chin in thought. "So we just have to figure out the point in the machine that keeps everything in harmony."

Katara grimaced, noting with sarcasm, "That shouldn't be _too_ difficult if we find some type of map or something… Which I'm just sure the Fire Nation leaves lying around."

Rolling my eyes, I looked over to Sokka for help.

He looked thoughtful. "I need a plan of this machine. Some schematics that show what the inside looks like. Then we can find it's weak points."

Aang worriedly asked, "Where are we going to find something like that?"

Sokka whipped out his machete which he kept tied to his back with his boomerang. He then slashed the machete forward and punctured a pipe in front of him. Steam immediately shot through the room and a horrible hissing sound occurred.

"What are you doing!" Aang cried. "Someone's gonna hear us!"

"That's the point," Sokka spoke with a grin. "I figure a machine this big needs engineers to run it, and when something breaks..."

Katara's eyes widened. "They come to fix it!"

"Crys," Sokka said. "Position yourself by the door. Knock out the engineer when he gets here."

I obeyed his order and positioned myself by the door. Pulling water out from the canteen tied to my waist, I prepared for my attack. I only had to wait a few minutes for the giant buff man to walk through the door. When he entered, he started straight towards the steaming pipes. He stopped though when he noticed Aang, Sokka, and Katara standing beside them.

"Wha-"

My water smashed into the back of the man's head, and the impact sent him falling forward and hitting the ground with a thud. He was knocked out as I pulled my water away from him and into the canteen. I grimaced as I stared at his unconscious body, not thrilled that I'd just hurt the man.

Sokka rushed forward and turned the man's dead-weight over so he was lying on his back. A scroll was tucked between his belt and pants. Sokka grabbed it and turned back to the rest of us. He then unrolled the scroll and looked down at it.

After examining the diagram of the drill for a few seconds, he smiled with an idea. "It looks like the Drill is made up of two main structures. There's the inner mechanism, where we are now, and the outer shell." He traced his finger along the drawn diagram while he spoke. "The inner part and the outer part are connected by these braces. If we cut through them, the entire thing will collapse."

Nodding, I insisted, "Then we best get a move on before Azula and her cronies notice we're here."

They nodded and we all raced through the drill, up some stairs, and into a very large opening with large metal braces parallel to one another. There were at least ten of them, and I knew then it would take us forever to slice through half.

Sokka inspected the first brace with surprise. _"_ Wow, it looks a lot thicker in person than it does in the plans. We're going to have to work pretty hard to cut through that."

Katara crossed her arms in disbelief. "What's this _we_ stuff? Aang, Crystal, and I are going to have to do all the work."

Sokka gestured to himself. "Look, I'm the plan guy. You three are the "cut stuff up with waterbending" guys. Together, we're Team Avatar!"

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Technically this was my plan to begin with."

He held up his finger to argue. "Your plan was to get us in and figure out how to destroy the thing. I found the plan to actually crush the machine."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

Katara growled and took her water out. "Come on… We better obey _Sokka's_ plans while we're all still sane."

The three of us worked vigorously to slash our water through the braces that kept the machine going. Aang and Katara worked on one together, while I attempted to start on the next one for them. Using a stream, I slid it hard enough on the side of the metal to form a slice through the firm frame. It seemed I used the same repetitive motion for hours, and the brace was only half way done by the time Katara and Aang completely sliced through theirs. We worked for what felt like two hours attempting to cut through as many braces as we could.

When my arms began to tire out, I placed my water back in the canteen and turned to the others. "I don't know I can keep this up much longer… How many more of these things should we cut?"

Sokka stepped away from the wall he'd been leaning on. "C'mon team, don't quit now, we're..."

Katara growled and looked at Sokka with narrowed eyes.

Sokka held up his hands in defense. "I mean, you're almost there."

Katara and Aang finally finished the beam they were cutting a moment later. Then Katara placed her water in her pouch exhausted. "At this rate, we won't do enough damage before the drill reaches the wall."

Aang plopped down on the steel platform we stood upon. "I don't know how many more of those I have in me."

As if responding to Aang's exhaustion, an ominous shudder and low moan passed down the length of the Drill. I gasped and felt the tremor of the drill shake us around roughly.

Sokka believed we won. "Do you hear that We took it down. We better get out of here fast!"

Aang jumped up and him and Katara began to rush off after Sokka who was nearing the door to escape.

"Guys… Wait… I don't think-"

I was cut off as an intercom rang above us. A rough voice stated through an echo, "Congratulations crew, the Dill has made contact with the wall of Ba Sing Se. Start the countdown to victory!"

My blood drained at the man's call. Sokka was horrified and raced back towards the beam that Aang and Katara had just cut. He shoved against it futilely to try and break it with his Sokka-Man-Power.

"C'mon brace, budge!"

Katara was dismayed. "This is bad, really bad."

Sokka stopped looking at all of us with disbelief. "We're putting everything we've got into busting these braces, but it's taking too long!"

After a brief pause, Aang beamed. "Maybe we don't need to cut all the way through. Toph has been teaching me that you shouldn't give one hundred percent of your energy into any one strike." He looked over at my brother with inspiration. "Sokka, take a fighting stance. You've gotta be quick and accurate." Sokka took a fighting stance, and Aang hooked his foot around Sokka's ankle pulling him off balance. "Hit a series of points, and break your opponent's stance." Aang proceeded to demonstrate by hitting Sokka with a few pretend blows. "And when he's reeling back, you deliver the final blow." He bonked him lightly on the head. "His own weight becomes his downfall. Literally." When he finished, Sokka collapsed forward being thrown completely off balance.

I actually smirked, despite the situation we were in. Walking over, I helped Sokka up as Katara spoke.

"So we just need to weaken the braces, instead of cut all the way through."

Aang pointed upward. "Then I'll go to the top of this thing, and deliver the final blow."

Sokka raised his arms with thrill. "And boom, it all comes crashing down!" He demonstrated his words by sweeping his arms in an abrupt downward motion.

"This sounds worth trying… We have to give it a shot," I added. "It's our only hope at this point."

Aang nodded. "Everyone inside that wall, the whole world, is counting on us."

"The whole world, minus the Fire Nation that is," Sokka stated.

I grimaced. Looking away, I said softly, "Not everyone in the Fire Nation wants this Sokka…"

Sokka scoffed. "Really? Name one person. Because I'll tell you right now Crys, that _Zuko_ definitely wants the Fire Nation to win. You're just too in love to see it."

I sighed. Turning back to the braces, I walked away saying, "You don't know what he wants…" Pulling the water back out of my canteen, I said to no one in particular, "I'll start on the next brace. The sooner we do this, the faster we save Ba Sing Se."

No one argued, but I could see from the corner of my eye Katara smack Sokka on the side of the head. He cringed and rubbed the spot, and then hung his head in guilt. He met my eyes momentarily, and I looked away feeling a bit upset by his words. I knew Sokka and Katara would never approve of Zuko, but I hoped that one day they would see he wasn't the man they thought him to be.

We continued for another few minutes in silence, cutting halfway through a total of four beams.

"Good work Team Avatar. Now Aang just needs to..." A gasp stopped Sokka mid-sentence, and he cried, "DUCK!"

We all turned in the nick of time to see a bright blast of blue fire shoot towards us. I shrieked and rushed behind the brace I'd just finished cutting half way through. The hot blast zoomed past, and when it faded I looked around the brace at the cause.

My eyes widened when I saw who it was. Standing high above us on a horizontal pole was Azula and her two cronies. Azula looked down at us with a sneer, the tall thin one looked bored, and the little bouncy one looked excited.

"Wow Azula, you were right, it is the Avatar!" The short girl smiled widely. "... and friends."

Azula looked down at all of us, and then met my eyes. She recognized me immediately and smirked. "Well, well… If it isn't Zuko's pet. Where's your lover boy, wench?"

I felt my blood boil. When I'd first met Azula, I'd been scared and uncertain. Seeing her now, and remembering the damage she'd done to Iroh, I felt rage. "Being a good nephew to your uncle who you shot!"

She scowled. "My _uncle_? My uncle died the moment he gave up conquering Ba Sing Se." She looked over at the tall thin girl. "Mai... I don't think I've properly introduced you to this worthless water-worm. You remember me telling you about the girl who stole your crush, right?"

Mai pulled out some daggers, and her eyes bore into my own. "Don't see what Zuko see's in her… She's pretty ugly to me."

I growled. "Speak for yourself." She was pretty physically, but seemed to have an ugly heart as she prepared to attack.

"Aang! Now!"

Katara's shout suddenly brought me from my rage. I was shocked when suddenly a gust of air shot straight at the three girls above. As this happened, Sokka grabbed my hand and yanked me out of my frozen state. As I was yanked out of the room, running along not having a choice, I heard Azula shout orders behind us.

As we rushed through the hall of the drill, we hit a "T" shaped intersection. "Guys get out of here, I know what I need to do." Aang started to head in one direction.

"Wait!" Katara pulled water from her pouch. "You need this water more than I do!"

Aang took her water in the air with thanks, and then rushed off. As he went one way, the three of us went the other. We rushed down the hall for a moment, and then hit a dead end. However, there was a trap door below that I quickly pointed out.

"Slurry pipeline," Katara read from the inscribed characters on the metal. "What does that mean?"

Sokka bent down and opened the hatch to the door. We all peered in and saw a passage of flowing water, rocks, and mud. I grimaced knowing we had no choice but to hop in.

Sokka answered Katara. _"_ It's rock and water mixed together, it means our way out."

As Sokka and Katara began to lower down into the slurry mess, I looked back at the path we had just taken, hearing rushing footsteps. My eyes met the wild look of Mai and the other girl's excited gaze as they came around the corner.

"Found you!" The short girl piped.

"Good Bye," I stated. Jumping down into the slurry mess below, I grabbed the door when I did shutting it behind. Darkness consumed us, but the current quickly caught all three of us dragging us through the pipe.

We rushed through the wet gunk, using our arms to stay above water. I heard one splash behind us over the rushing water a minute later, but by the time it sounded we reached the end of the pipe where light was coming through. As we were thrown out of the pipe by the rush of water, we landed on the ground and slid through the mud hard. Then we quickly got up to our feet and turned ready to fight. Katara, however, beat Sokka and I to the punch, and bent the water up just as the short girl was flying out of the pipe. The water dragged her back up and into the pipe, and she was held their as rushing water pounded against her from behind.

"Why don't you try blocking my chi now circus freak!" Katara held one hand up as she easily kept the girl in the pipe. I watched with amazement. She was stopping a whole current with one hand!

"Katara, keep that up." Sokka was thrilled. "The pressure will build up in the drill, then when Aang delivers the final blow, it will be ready to pop!"

"I hope you're right," I said, looking at the struggling girl anxiously. Where was the Mai chick? I had to ask. Shouting up at her, I asked, "What happened to moody girl?"

The struggling girl looked down at me, surprised I was confronting her. "Oh. She doesn't do sludgy she said." She spoke back to me as if we were having a normal conversation.

"Oh. Okay," I said, kind of relieved Mai hadn't followed. A girl who was mad for me stealing her childhood crush was the last thing I needed to deal with.

"Hey Crys! Go get Toph so she can bend this muddy stuff to stop the flow. I can't hold the sludge back forever."

Nodding at my sister's order, I took off down the line of the drill towards the area where Toph was still bending some earth against the moving machine. "Toph! Katara needs you," I shouted, rushing over to her. She stopped her bending, and then raced past me in the direction I'd come. As she did so, I heard a yelp from above and saw a blast of blue fire shoot out from over the drill.

Aang... I had to help him...

Looking over along the side of the drill, I saw a ladder that curved against the metal. Rushing over, I managed to climb up to the top of the drill where I immediately saw Azula and Aang squaring off. As Aang shot a blast, and Azula easily dodged, I managed to clamber onto the shaking machine and yank the top off my canteen. Pulling water out, I shot it straight at Azula. It hit her in the side and sent her falling on her arm and sliding towards the opposite edge of the drill.

"Crys!" Aang sounded bewildered. "Are you crazy? Stop! Get out of here!"

Pulling my water back, I shouted at him, "Go Aang! Give it the final blow! I'll distract her!"

"No! Get off! You're going to get hurt!"

Azula got up on her feet, but by that point I'd rushed between her and Aang. "Go!"

Aang was astounded by my sudden confidence, and I saw Azula twirl around and stare at me with rage. I made my stance as firm as I could on the shaking machine. Azula scowled, and snapped, "You going to just stand there wench, or are you going to fight me?!"

Rage boiled inside me. She was getting on my last nerves with her insults. "Stop calling me that!" Racing forward towards her, I heard Aang shout behind me to stop. I ignored him.

Azula grinned as I approached her, and then charged up her fingers producing sparks of blue light. I was ready for her. There was no way I was losing to her again.

As Azula shot the lightning towards me, I threw water straight at the blast. Our attacks collided, and a hot gust of air shot towards me causing me to fly back. Landing hard on the moving machine, I cringed as my body vibrated in pain. However, I stood fast with my heart pounding and pulled my water which had dropped on the steel back into the air. Azula scowled at my recovery and rushed forward again. As I shot water at her, she jumped up in the air and with unknown agility flew over my head landing behind me. She was no longer focused on me, but on Aang.

Aang was already racing towards the wall that the machine was currently drilling into. As she went to strike lightning at him, I thrust my water forward and tightened the molecules. Wrapping the end of my stream around her ankle, she yelped as I jerked her off her feet. She landed with a thud, and her lightning missed Aang entirely.

A growl escaped her, and she quickly scrambled back to her feet. As she did so, I pulled the water back towards me and prepared to fight again. She turned and met my gaze with malice. "You little freak! I'll end you!" She shot a hot blast of fire at me, and I threw my water at her. Our attacks hit halfway, and a cloud of smoke fell between us.

Quickly I pulled particles of moisture from the air so I could attack again. However, a shadow jumped through the cloud and I was shoved hard onto my back. Azula pinned me down to the drill, her knee pressing into my stomach and her hand shoving my shoulder down. I dropped my water in the process and struggled beneath her.

She smirked as she saw she had the upper hand. "Don't mind if I add another scar to your face, do you?"

The words came out more from rage than common sense. "Go ahead… It won't make you any better in your brother's eyes."

She cackled. "Who said I'm trying to make my brother like me?"

She lifted her hand ready to fire at me. My blood went cold when I then finally realized what position I was in, and I shut my eyes bracing myself for the pain. It didn't come though. Instead, the whole machine suddenly quaked and a harsh blast of air shot above me. Thinking fast, I grabbed onto a lift in the metal beside me so I wouldn't get flung off. Azula didn't have time to catch anything, and her body flew over me and out of view as she was thrown off the drill from Aang's force. The harsh gust of air hit me and I almost lost grip, but it was soon over and I felt my tight grip loosen.

Mud landed on top of me a moment later, and I cringed from the gross and sticky substance. Sitting up, I felt the machine had stopped shaking as the plan was successful. My body shook and I felt my pounding heart calm. The rage inside me simmered down and my blurred vision began to clear up.

"Crys!" Aang raced over across the drill towards me, and Momo glided behind. Behind him was a giant boulder sliced into a pointed shape that had penetrated the machine. "Are you okay?"

Nodding, I wiped some mud from my eyes. "Yeah... I think so..."

"Good... I'm glad to hear..." He walked towards me and held his muddy hand out to me. "Thanks for the help."

I smiled taking his gesture with gratitude, and he helped me to my feet. "Thanks for not letting Azula burn me to a crisp."

Momo suddenly landed on my shoulder and licked the goo from my face. I bent the liquid off of me, and then did the same to Aang who thanked me. He grabbed me then and jumped us both down from the top of the drill, landing us gracefully onto the sludge covered ground below.

We then looked over at the wall with relief. The drill attempting to break through had been killed. "You did it Aang… Great job."

He placed a hand on my shoulder. "We all did it."

Footsteps suddenly rushed towards us, and we turned to see Sokka, Katara, and Toph approach. They were still covered in mud.

Toph beamed. "Way to go Twinkletoes!"

"I can't believe we actually took this thing down!" Katara looked at the broken machine with thrill. "We won!"

"Yeah!" Sokka added. "We did great!"

My limbs shook then, and I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins fade. Me climbing to the top of the drill had been a spur of the moment. Telling Azula to go ahead and burn me had been rash and stupid. If Aang hadn't hit the drill at that moment, the other side of my face would be scarred as well.

A few minutes later, the five us and Momo found our ways back to the top of the wall. A fleet of soldiers was sent down to the drill to try and capture the enemy, although I was certain they had fled the scene by now. As the general thanked Aang, and Katara washed dried mud off of herself, I fell back against the side of the barracks and sat in exhaustion.

Sokka and Toph walked over to me a few moments later, after I had managed to finally calm my nerves. Sokka spoke enthusiastically. "The General just said he's making preparations for us to have a place in the Upper Ring! We actually can sleep in a building for a change!"

Toph sighed. "The Upper Ring isn't that exciting Sokka. Just a lot of rude people with money."

"Still," Sokka continued. "We're going to get the royal treatment."

Looking up at Sokka, I said, "Don't forget why we're here though…"

Sokka waved me off. "Yeah. I know. We'll get right to contacting the Earth King. For now though, we need a good nights sleep."

I looked over at Aang and Katara, who were approaching us now. Standing, I turned away from the group and looked out towards the sunset in the distance. Sokka's words rang through my head loud and clear. They could focus on the Earth King... My focus was finding Appa...

Sokka spoke enthusiastically from behind me. "I just want to say, good effort out there today Team Avatar."

Katara scowled. "Enough with the Team Avatar stuff! No matter how many times you say it, it's not gonna catch on!"

Sokka tried again. "How about..." I looked back to see him whip his boomerang out. "The 'Boomerang Squad!' See it's good cause it's got 'Aang' in it." He put his hand on Aang's head. "Boomer-Aang."

Aang beamed. "I kinda like that one."

"Don't encourage him, Aang," I begged.

Katara grabbed my hand and began to pull me away from Sokka. "Let's talk about this on our way into the city."

As the others followed behind us, Sokka continued, "The "Aang Gang"?"

Katara shook her head. "Sokka…"

Sokka tried again. **"** The "Fearsome Fivesome"?"

Toph shook her head. "You're crazy!"

Sokka stopped walking, and I heard him whine **,** "Why? We're fearsome! Crys, help me out here!"

"Let's just stick to Team Avatar for now," I said, looking back at Sokka to entertain him.

He sighed. "Fine… Just for now." He started to follow us again as we made our way towards the General who was waiting to congratulate all of us.

As the night continued on, the General set us up a place to sleep just until morning and provided us with some dinner. As we sat in a circle in one of the small rooms on top of the barracks, I ate my steamed fish absently. We were all given mats to sleep on, and the General was setting up a personal escort to take us through Ba Sing Se that next day. Looking out of the small stone room window, I saw the moon above that covered us with soft white light.

"By the way, Crys… I'm sorry for earlier," Sokka suddenly said. Meeting his eyes, I was a little uncertain to what he referred to. "Back in the drill… I didn't mean to upset you about Zuko… I… I just still don't see good in him…"

I sighed, placing my plate down. "I know… I don't expect any of you to ever trust him." Looking back up at the moon, I smiled weakly. "He has a good heart though… I hope you all can see that one day…"

"You really think you and that dude have a chance of being together in the future?"

Toph's question drew me back to the room. Looking at everyone's curious expressions, I thought about my answer for a moment. "Fate is a strange thing. However, mom once told me that when you find that someone you're meant to spend the rest of your life with, you'll just know…"

Katara smiled weakly. "Fate does appear to have a weird agenda these days it seems."

Sokka sighed heavily. "Let me ask you just one thing, Crys… If Zuko were to capture Aang, and the only option for us to stop him would be to destroy him, would you let us?"

His question made me cringe. However, I met Sokka's eyes with confidence. "Zuko had the opportunity to capture Aang back at that ghost town, and he chose to save his uncle instead… He's not the same man you all met at the South Pole. If it came to choosing his honor or love, I know he'll make the right decision in the end."

"You don't know that though…" Sokka shook his head. "How could you possibly know he'd choose such a thing?"

I smiled. "Because I've seen him do it before… He's had numerous opportunities to capture Aang, but every time he's chosen to save the ones he loves instead. When we were in the Earth Kingdom back before the invasion at the North Pole, Zuko had to choose between pursuing Aang and saving his uncle from Earth Kingdom soldiers… He chose Iroh."

Aang nodded. "I agree with Crys… I believe there is good in Zuko. He saved me once from Zhao, and he's never actually physically hurt me."

Katara scoffed. "Speak for yourself. The dude knocked me unconscious at the North Pole."

Sokka added, "And he bonked me around with my spear when we first met."

I grimaced. "I didn't say he's perfect… And that was before he learned that his family doesn't want him back… Azula tried to take him and Iroh prisoner…"

"Speaking of Azula… That was brave what you did earlier today," Aang suddenly spoke up, trying to change the subject slightly. He must've decided things were getting too tense. "We wouldn't have won if you hadn't have jumped in."

Katara sighed, nodding her head. "Yeah... You had me worried sick when you didn't come back with Toph earlier, but Aang told me how you took Azula down long enough for him to make the final blow. You've gotten stronger."

I blushed. "I still have a lot to learn from you though. I'm no master..."

Toph spoke up. "Even the greatest masters still have to learn. We're all still just kids. We have years of training ahead."

Momo chattered in agreement and then stepped over to my plate taking my leftovers. I pat him on the head, saying, "At least we know Momo's a master at eating."

The group laughed and the tense air lightened. As the night went on, I looked back at the moon one last time. Shutting my eyes, I pictured Zuko in my mind. Deep down I knew he was the one… I just had to fight the obstacles keeping us from one another.

I wouldn't give up the fight though. I would save Appa, help Aang stop the Fire Nation, and then I would find Zuko and never walk away from him again. I would win the battles that were to come.


	35. The Search

**New chapter at last! Thanks for your continuous support and reviews! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 35: The Search**

The rumble of the monorail kept me awake as I looked out the glass windows down at the agrarian section of Ba Sing Se. It had been an early morning for us, but the General wanted us comfortable in the city as soon as possible. His generosity was in gratitude for our ability to take down the machine when none of his men were successful in their attempt. He had told us he even sent word to the Earth King's advisor that the Avatar and his companions had arrived at Ba Sing Se.

We had a brief breakfast, thanked the General for his gratitude, and then followed an Earth Kingdom soldier around the barracks and down some stairs. We eventually ended up walking through a side door that led into the monorail station. The Earth Kingdom soldier gave us a personal escort to the monorail, bumping us to the front of the line which irritated people who had been waiting for their turn. I mouthed my apologies as we walked past them into the just arrived monorail.

Once we were on board, the soldier informed us that our escort would meet us at the Lower Ring station with transportation. As I took a seat on a stone bench beside Sokka, I wondered what transportation he could possibly mean.

Katara was turned around completely in her seat, pressing her face to the glass of the monorail so she could look out. "Look, the inner wall! I can't believe we finally made it to Ba Sing Se in one piece."

Sokka looked over at her. "Hey don't jinx it! We could still be attacked by some giant, exploding Fire Nation spoon. Or find out the city's been submerged in an ocean full of killer shrimp."

Toph, who looked uncomfortable, asked, "You been hitting the cactus juice again?"

Sokka grimaced. "I'm just sayin', weird stuff happens to us."

Nodding, I added, "Yeah… It's not every day we have to fight off sea monsters."

Aang tried to lighten the mood. "We're safe in Ba Sing Se. And better yet, we're one step closer to ending the war and finding Appa."

The thought of Appa made me frown. Looking down at my lap, I pictured the big guy in my head. He was probably cold, scared, and so alone. There was no telling what his captors were doing to him. The possibilities were too horrid for me to bear.

"Don't worry you two… we'll find Appa," Katara suddenly encouraged. Glancing over at Aang, I saw he looked as dismayed as myself.

Aang's optimism was fading. "It's such a big city."

Sokka tried to cheer him up. "He's a giant bison. Where could someone possibly hide him?"

Crossing my arms, I answered, "Wherever he is, I'm going to find him… I owe him that much." Momo crawled onto my lap suddenly and nudged my elbow with his nose. I smiled weakly and scratched behind his ear. He purred shutting his eyes. "Don't worry Momo… Appa will be with us soon…"

"Crys… Please don't be rash and go off on your own once we get to the city," Katara begged. "You're prone to danger lately."

Toph smirked. "I doubt Princess is going to make it far with you and Sokka constantly hovering over her. You two haven't stopped worrying about her since we grabbed her from Zuko a few weeks ago."

Katara defended her overprotective nature. "Do you blame us? Whenever Sokka and I leave her she gets into crazy situations."

Running a hand through my hair, I stated, "This is coming from the kids who rode on canyon-crawlers to get out of the Great Divide."

Aang beamed. "Now that was a fun time right there."

The monorail began to slow in pace a few minutes later, and eventually our ride stopped at the station in the lower ring. As we emerged and began to make our way to the edge of the platform and onto the streets of Ba Sing Se, I was bewildered at the amount of people around us. I was more so bewildered by the number of poor and homeless around us.

Toph sighed heavily. "Back in the city… Great…"

Sokka was looking around us at the buildings, crowds, and food in excitement. "What's the problem? It's amazing!"

Toph crossed her arms. "Just a bunch of walls and rules… You wait… You'll get sick of it in a couple of days."

My steps faltered as Toph spoke because something caught my eye. An elderly woman sat on the ground against a building. Her wrinkly hands worked on what appeared to be a doll made out of straw. Her gray hair and hazy eyes made me immediately think about my Gran Gran. A feeling of homesickness hit me, and I realized then just how long it had been since I'd been at the South Pole. We were in a huge city made of wooden buildings, and everything around us was unfamiliar.

"Crys…?" Katara had stopped walking when she saw I'd come to a halt in my step.

Meeting her eyes, I grimaced. "Sorry… I'm just amazed by everything…"

She nodded. "Well try to keep up… This is a big city… We need to stick together."

Nodding, I continued to walk behind the group. I didn't make it far though. A woman with long dark hair, a thin frame, and unfocused eyes stepped over to us making us come to a halt. She wore a long green and tan robe, and her smile seemed painted on her face in an unsettling manner.

"Hello! My name is Joo Dee. I have been given the great honor of showing the Avatar around Ba Sing Se. And you must be Sokka, Katara, Crystal, and Toph. Welcome to our wonderful city! Shall we get started?"

Sokka got down to business. "Yes! We have information about the Fire Nation army that we need to deliver to the Earth King immediately."

The woman acted as if she hadn't heard a word from my brother's mouth. "Great, let's begin our tour. And then I'll show you to your new home here. I think you'll like it." She turned around and started to walk over to a carriage that was attached to two ostrich horses. When I saw the animals, I immediately thought about Zan and wondered what had happened to my good ostrich-horse pal. I hadn't seen him since I joined my family.

Sokka raced after the woman and stepped beside her. "Augh! Maybe you missed what I said. We need to talk to the King about the war, it's important."

Joo Dee stopped at the carriage and gestured for us to get in. "You're in Ba Sing Se now. Everyone is safe here." We all shot one another looks of uncertainty. Toph sighed heavily and shook her head in dismay. As we got into the carriage, I glanced at Joo Dee again with that same unsettled feeling. Her eyes remained widely unfocused, and the smile on her face seemed permanent.

Eventually, the carriage took off once we were seated, and the four of us stared out the window while Toph sat and listened. Joo Dee began to give us a tour of the poor scene before us.

"This is the Lower Ring."

Katara frowned. "What's that wall for?" She gestured towards the one off in the distance that we were beginning to approach.

Joo Dee answered as if she were given a script. "Oh… Ba Sing Se has many walls. There are the ones outside protecting us, and the one's inside that help maintain order. This is where our newest arrivals live, as well as our craftsman and artisans, people that work with their hands. It's so quaint and lively."

My eyes glanced at the woman in front of me a bit perturbed. "Maintain order… You mean segregate…"

She ignored me as if she didn't know how to respond or was not allowed to. I whispered to Katara, "What's up with this lady?"

She nudged me in the side. "Don't be rude."

Joo Dee just continued to smile.

We suddenly rode past an alley, where two men stood in the shadows conversing with swords in their hands. They looked over at us as we passed, and glared as if we were scum and not themselves.

Joo Dee maintained composure as she too noticed the creepy men. "You do want to watch your step though."

Katara asked out of curiosity, "Why do they have all these poor people blocked off in one part of the city?"

Aang frowned and looked dismayed. "This is why I never came here before. I always heard it was so different from the way the monks taught us to live."

Joo Dee tried to cheer us up with her creepy unemotional voice. "The different sections keep order to our city. We do not block off people, but ensure unity."

"You say that as if these people are barbarians and will destroy the city."

She smiled at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine. Her pupils were dilated as if she weren't herself. "Destruction in the city is not allowed. Such actions are stopped immediately."

The carriage came to a stop, and a guard looked in at us through the window. Joo Dee held up a wooden board with a golden symbol painted on it, and the man nodded shouting orders. The carriage moved forward then, and I heard the rumble of stone as the gate in front of us lowered to let us pass into the next ring.

Immediately I could see a difference in the Middle Ring. The houses and shops were much nicer, and people were much better dressed. There were no homeless or poor to be found as we rode through.

Joo Dee spoke once more as we continued our tour. "This is the middle ring of Ba Sing Se, home to the financial district, shops and restaurants, and the university."

Sokka looked at Joo Dee who sat beside him. "Yeah, we met a Professor from Ba Sing Se University. He took us to an ancient underground library where we discovered information about the war that is _absolutely crucial for the King to hear_!" He leaned close to Joo Dee's face to try to emphasize his point.

The woman just stared at him blankly and cheerfully. "Isn't history fascinating?!" She pointed out a window at a building we were passing made of stone. "Look, here's one of the oldest buildings in the middle ring, Town Hall."

She suddenly exited the carriage wanting us to follow. Katara and Aang did so, while Sokka, Toph, and I lingered in disbelief.

"Is that woman deaf!" Sokka was appalled. "She only seems to hear every other word I say."

Toph scowled. "It's called 'being handled.' Get used to it."

After another half-hour of touring the Middle Ring, we passed another gate into the final ring of Ba Sing Se. This ring was widespread, with large homes and beautiful gardens. There were fountains, well-dressed men and women, and fine statues of different Earth Kingdom men and women.

Joo Dee spoke up again. "The Upper Ring is home to our most important citizens. Your house is not too far from here." As she spoke, we suddenly passed by a huge stone wall that had an enormous building behind it. There was a large wooden gateway where men in dark green robes and wide-brimmed hats stood. They looked as creepy as Joo Dee. As we passed by, the three men eyed us from beneath their brimmed hats.

Katara asked out of curiosity, "What's inside that wall?"

Sokka added **,** "And who are the mean looking guys in robes?"

Joo Dee calmly answered **,** "Inside is the Royal Palace. Those men are agents of the Dai Li, the cultural authority of Ba Sing Se. They are the guardians of all our traditions."

Aang sounded hopeful **.** "Can we see the King now?"

Joo Dee was horrified **.** "Oh, no! One doesn't just _pop_ in on the Earth King. We must keep some sense of order and decorum." The carriage stopped in front of the palace gate though. "However, I will pass the message that you desire an audience." She got out of the carriage and walked up to the Dai Li men at the gate.

As she conversed with them, I could no longer keep my silence. "Does anyone else sense something is off with this woman…? I feel like she doesn't have a mind of her own…"

"She's just doing her job," Katara spoke. "She probably was told by the General to make us happy. She doesn't want us to worry about things I suppose."

I looked over at the men Joo Dee spoke to. One of them was eying us as if to make sure we stayed put.

Toph spoke up. "I do admit… This woman does have a strange heartbeat…"

Aang shook his head. "I'm sure there's nothing strange… She's just doing her job like Katara said…"

Joo Dee headed back towards us with her creepy smile, and I saw the Dai Li men watch her go with narrowed eyes. When she got back in the carriage, she said nothing about her conversation and the carriage moved on. Sokka tried to ask, but Joo Dee pointed at a fountain and told us about its history as if he hadn't spoken.

Finally, the carriage reached the end of our journey through the Upper Ring. A small wooden house stood on a platform, painted in elegant colors with a patch of flowers around the border of the lawn. The grass was trimmed and finely maintained, and the windows to the building were open letting in fresh air. Joo Dee stepped out of the stopped carriage, and we followed her up to the front of the house.

Joo Dee beamed and turned to us. "Here we are. Your new home!" A young man raced over suddenly, handing Joo Dee a scroll. He then raced off back in the direction he came. We watched the interaction with bewilderment. "More good news," she spoke to us. "Your request for an audience with the Earth King is being processed, and should be put through in about a month. Much more quickly than usual.

Sokka was baffled. "A month!"

She nodded with a smile. "Six to eight weeks, actually." She turned and started to head to our new home as if what she spoke was the best thing in the world. I knew this was an issue though. With Sozin's comet and the eclipse, we couldn't spare six to eight weeks.

When we all got into the building a few minutes later, Joo Dee showed us around the small but quaint home. There were three bedrooms with sliding doors, and a kitchen on an elevated platform. The kitchen came with a nicely polished low table with silk cushions around it. There was a cupboard where Joo Dee showed us a complete stock of food. She told us that they would bring us more food every five days, but if we needed anything she was sure to get it for us.

When the tour was over, we returned to the main room where cushions were sprawled across the floor for lounging.

Joo Dee smiled at us all. "Isn't it nice? I think you will really enjoy it here."

Sokka scowled. "I think we'd enjoy it more if we weren't staying so long. Can't we see the King any sooner?"

Her expression remained the same. "The Earth King is very busy running the finest city in the world, but he will see you as soon as time permits."

Aang sighed. "If we are going to be here for a month, we should spend our time looking for Appa."

Joo Dee beamed. "Excellent idea! I'll be happy to escort you anywhere you would like to go." She pulled out some wooden passes from a pocket on her dress. "Here are passes for each of you. They allow you to go to any ring you desire. Of course, I recommend staying in the Upper or Middle Ring… Shall we head out?"

Taking a pass from her, I stared down at the symbol engraved in the board. It was the image of a bear with "pass" carved below.

Toph snatched her own pass from the woman. "We don't need a babysitter."

Joo Dee seemed to panic when she saw Toph start to leave. She quickly stepped in her path. "Oh, I won't get in the way. And to leave you alone would make me a bad host. Where shall we start?"

I rolled my eyes. Looking over at Aang, Katara, and Sokka, I said, "I'll meet you all back here tonight… I'm going to search on my own."

Katara protested. "Didn't we just get done telling you to stay with us? You shouldn't go wandering around the city on your own."

"No way am I letting you go off into the city and get into trouble." Sokka crossed his arms. "You're sticking with us, Crys!"

Aang walked over and handed me some coins as Sokka spoke. He smiled weakly with understanding. "Don't get too turned around. It's a big city."

Sokka protested, and Katara snapped at Aang. Joo Dee whined about my plans.

"You must not walk around the city without an escort, Miss. There are dangerous people around every corner."

Turning without acknowledgment of Joo Dee's words, I said to Toph as I passed her, "You all have fun with your lovely host."

"Only reason I'm not going with you is because I'm not letting this creepy chick be alone with Aang," Toph commented low enough for only myself to hear.

I nodded. "Keep an eye on each other." As I made to step out of the building, a hand grabbed my arm. I looked back at Sokka with disbelief. "Stop worrying! It's not like I'm sneaking onboard a Fire Nation ship or something. I'm just walking around."

He tightened his grip for a second, but then let out a heavy sigh and released. "Fine… I'll let you go… Just take Momo with you. I don't want you going completely alone…"

Momo hopped on my shoulder at my brother's request. "Alright… Momo will keep me safe. I promise."

With that said, I left the group continuing to ignore Joo Dee's eager pleas and made my way through the city. As time went on, and I got into the crowded parts of the Upper Ring, I began to ask whoever I came into contact with about Appa. As I asked, no one seemed to know what I was talking about.

"A giant bison…? I thought those were extinct!"

"I don't know nothing about no air creature."

"I'm sorry dear… I haven't seen such a creature in my life."

The responses I received were the same in the Upper and Middle rings. No one seemed to have seen or heard about Appa, which greatly dismayed myself and Momo. The more we asked, the more who shook their heads or shrugged made me lose hope. If no one had seen Appa, then that meant he may not even be in the city. We're we searching a lost cause?

After two hours of asking around nonstop, I eventually made it into the Lower Ring. Once I did so, I could immediately see a change in culture and life. People were in much duller clothing than the other two rings, and they were also much paler and unhealthy. Stopping at a stall that looked to have semi-decent fruit, I bought two and handed one to Momo. We both took a break off the main road on a damp crate in an alley. As I bit into the side of my mango that wasn't rotting, I looked over at Momo who seemed content with his own.

"Don't worry, Momo… I haven't given up… We'll keep asking around…" I pet him on the ear, and he continued to eat his fruit. "We'll find him..."

"Hey! Off dat crate!" A hoarse but deep voice shouted at me from the other end of the alley. He'd come out of a door and stomped towards me. I quickly jumped off, and Momo hopped on my shoulder in fear.

"Sorry… I didn't realize this belonged to anyone…"

The fifty-some-year-old man stopped in front of me with a scowl. "You gonna pay me for that der mango?"

I was amazed. I looked down at the mango in my hand which I had already paid for. "Uh… No. I bought this down the road a little ways."

He sneered. "Kids like you lie all the time." He grabbed my hand causing me to drop the fruit. "Give me your coins, or I'll hand ya over to the Dai Li!"

My eyes searched around the alley, and I saw a bucket of water not too far. Momo hissed at the man and scratched at his hand that restrained my wrist. The man didn't flinch as he reached for the pouch at my side that I'd put the coins Aang gave me in.

I scowled and pulled water from the bucket into the air with my free hand. Then I shot the water at the man from behind and wrapped the liquid around his waist. He gasped as he was suddenly lifted into the air by my tightening the molecules that flowed around him. He released my hand as he struggled to escape my water restraint.

"'Ey! Put me down!"

Momo had jumped off my shoulder onto the ground beside me and looked up at the floating man with curiosity.

"I will when you learn some manners!" I narrowed my eyes at him. "I've been through too much these last few weeks. The last thing I need is some ruffian trying to rob me for sitting on a stupid wooden box!"

"Alright!" The man kicked and flailed his arms and legs. The water tightened around his waist and lifted him higher. "Okay! I'm sorry! Please! I'm scared of heights!"

Dropping the man back on the ground, he quickly recovered his feet and took off back towards the door he'd come from. He darted inside slamming the door behind, and I let out a heavy breath as I picked up Momo. He clung to my shirt and licked me on the chin to let me know he was okay.

"Come on… Let's keep searching…" Momo squeaked and crawled back up to my shoulder, perching there as I rubbed my wrist which pulsed from the man's tight grip.

"Katara?"

A voice I didn't recognize suddenly spoke from behind me. At the name of my sister, I turned to the sudden intruder in surprise. A tall lean dude with shaggy brown hair and deep brown eyes stood at the end of the alley. His eyes were wide, and I assumed he had witnessed my bending. When he saw my face, and could quickly note I was not Katara, he looked embarrassed.

"Sorry… I… I thought you were someone else… From the back you look like a waterbending gal I used to know."

As he spoke, I tried to register who he could possibly be from the tales my family had related to me. Then as I took in his clothing which looked self-sown and like armor from the forest, I realized just who. Momo's growl only clarified my assumption.

Narrowing my eyes, I said, "Jet."

His eyes widened when I spoke. He then took in my appearance, and realization hit him when he saw Momo. "Hey… You're Sokka and Katara's sister, aren't you?" He took a few steps towards me, and I picked up the water I'd used on the man holding it threateningly in front of me. He stopped walking in shock.

"Yeah. I am… And I know all about you! Are you here to try and kill more innocent people?"

He held up his hands defensively. "Okay… I can see you heard about that. I promise I'm not that guy anymore… I came to Ba Sing Se for a second chance."

I scoffed. "You probably came here because the townspeople ran you and your followers out of the forest."

He grimaced. "Yeah... The townspeople were looking for us. It was only a matter of time before we were caught, so the group split up. I made some kids return to their villages, and others I left in the care of my best freedom fighters. Long Shot and Smellerbee decided to stick with me."

"Do you _blame_ the townspeople? I'd want to do the same if you destroyed my village."

He narrowed his eyes. "Hey! I was only trying to eliminate the enemy. I was foolish to try and take out other people to do so I admit, but the Fire Nation needs to go down! You were their prisoner, weren't you? You know how evil they can be!"

I dropped my water, and then crossed my arms. "You've got it wrong, Jet. Not everyone from the Fire Nation is evil." I looked him up and down. "You, on the other hand, are no good samaritan."

He stepped closer, his hands tight as he tried to control his temper. "Wow… You know… You really remind me of your sister when you say that. You have her foolish spirit as well."

I growled. "Don't talk about my sister like that!"

He stepped closer. Momo hissed. "Your sister froze me to a tree because she didn't understand what my true intentions were that day. I was doing the world a favor, and she turned her back on me. Your brother got in the way too. They all ruined my plans, and then we were forced to run. They ruined it all."

I defended my family. "You got a taste of your own medicine! You not only destroyed a whole town but you beat up an old man! I heard about that story too!"

He smirked suddenly. "Yeah… Definitely Sokka's twin. You both are blind to the true enemy."

"I know who the enemy is…" I sighed. "You're the blind one to see that all Fire Nation people are bad. There are some good ones out there."

There was a slight pause. Then Jet's eyes narrowed with knowing. "Ah… I see… Your captor was a young prince right?" He leaned forward. "Don't tell me you fell in love with the bastard?"

Anger flared inside me. "Don't call him that!" My hand snapped up to slap him, but he grabbed it to stop me. As his hand clenched my already sore wrist, Momo tried to smack his head with his paw.

Jet dodged, and then pulled me forward. "So I'm right… You fell for the enemy and have betrayed your own!"

"From what I see," I snapped, trying to pull from his grip. "Zuko's a much better man than you'll ever be."

He growled. "You're crazy! You've got some crazy psychotic attachment to your captor now!"

"That's none of your business! So let me go!"

He went to say something else but was cut off.

"Jet! There you are!"

A high-toned voice called from behind Jet, and he looked back to see who it was. He let out a heavy breath. "Yeah… Sorry Smellerbee. Got a little side tracked." He let me go then and backed away from me. His eyes were narrowed as he spoke to me once more through gritted teeth. "You take care of yourself, Crystal… We wouldn't want you falling into the Fire Nation's hands _again_."

I watched him walk off with the short girl at the end of the alley feeling my blood boil. Taking a few deep breaths though, I shut my eyes to calm down. Just wait until I told Sokka and Katara who I ran into.

Another hour passed, and I'd shaken off the Jet thing. My wrist was sore, but my focus had returned to my mission at hand. As I asked around some more and received no progress, I began to feel completely dismayed.

"I don't get it… Appa was being taken to be traded in Ba Sing Se… He should've been here." Running a hand through my hair, I stopped walking and looked down at the ground. When I did, something caught my eye. In the crack of the dirt, caught in between and shaking with the breeze, were a few strands of long white hair. Kneeling down, I grabbed the strands and managed to break them loose from the cracks. Momo hopped down and sniffed the fur in my hand. He then jumped up and down and chattered to tell me what I already guessed.

Appa's fur was in my grasp. Momo's acute sense of smell confirmed it. "Appa…" Tears filled my eyes, and I clenched the fur tight. "I'm going to find you buddy… I promise…"

As it got dark, I returned back to the Upper Ring and managed to find my way to the place we were staying at. When I arrived, I saw disappointed faces. They were relieved when I walked in with Momo, and asked how my search went. I told them about my run in with Jet, and they were horrified.

Katara snapped, "You should've kicked him in the place it hurts!"

Aang and Sokka cringed at her words. Toph laughed.

"Also… I found something…"

Aang's ears perked up. Momo chattered again with thrill. Opening the coin pouch, I pulled out the strands of fur. Aang's eyes widened, and he rushed forward grabbing them from my hand. He examined Appa's fur with shock, then pain, and finally with tears. "Appa… He is here…"

I told them where I found the fur, and they decided that they would search the Lower Ring to see if they could find more clues towards Appa's whereabouts. Later that night as I lay beside Katara to sleep, I clutched my necklace and felt a twinge in my chest.

 _"_ _So I'm right… You fell for the enemy and have betrayed your own!"_

Shutting my eyes, I rolled over and pulled my blanket close to my chin to try and block out Jet's words.

Zuko… I missed Zuko so much… Being with Jet today, and the way he held my hand so rough and tight, made me remember my first encounters with Zuko. My wrist tingled at the memory of Zuko's warm hand wrapped around it. He had been so rough at first, but then slowly he showed his soft side. I wanted to see him again. He'd know how to comfort me about Appa. He'd probably tell me to stop blaming myself and would hug me close to try and make me forget.

As much as I loved my family, I wanted to see him again… I wanted to be with him once more…

Five more days passed, and there was still no new information about Appa. Joo Dee was absolutely no help, and frankly, her presence irritated me whenever she came around. She also constantly informed us that the Earth King was still too busy to see us. I doubted that very seriously though. While the others moped about and thought the worst, I tried to look over a map of Ba Sing Se to plot out my next search area. There was a place in the Lower Ring that I hadn't gone to yet. There was a collection of shops there, so I hoped they would perhaps know something about big purchases that may have happened in the last few weeks.

"I've got it!" Katara suddenly rushed into the room. She had gone out for a walk to stretch her legs. "I know how we're gonna see the Earth King!"

Looking over at her from where I was kneeling on the floor, I saw her holding a piece of paper.

Toph lounged nearby, opened her eyes staring at nothing, and asked, "How are we supposed to do that? 'One doesn't just _pop_ in on the Earth King'." She was mimicking Joo Dee.

Katara smiled. "The King is having a party at the palace tonight for his pet bear."

Aang, who was lounging too, sat up and asked, "You mean Platypus-Bear?"

Katara looked down at the paper. "No, it just says "Bear"."

Sokka tried. "Certainly you mean his pet Skunk-Bear."

Toph said. "Or his Armadillo-Bear."

Aang added, "Gopher-Bear?"

Katara shook her head. "Just..."Bear"."

Toph sighed. "This place is weird."

A brief pause fell over the room. I smiled slightly at the awkward air. Katara spoke again a second later. "The palace will be packed. We can sneak in with the crowd."

Toph sighed. "Won't work."

"Why not?"

Toph turned her head towards my sister. "Well, no offense to you simple country folk, but a real society crowd would spot you from a mile away. You've got no manners." She proceeded to turn on her side, pick up a pastry from a bowl, and take a bite.

Katara placed her hands on her hips."Excuse me? I've got no manners? You're not exactly lady fancy fingers."

Toph burped as if to prove Katara's point for her. "I learned proper society behavior and chose to leave it. You never learned anything. And frankly, it's a little too late."

Sokka jumped up from where he was seated. "Ah-Ha, but you learned it. You could teach us."

Aang nodded, getting to his feet as well. "Yeah, I'm mastering every element. How hard could manners be…" He walked over to a window and wrapped a curtain around him to demonstrate. I watched with amusement. His tone turned deep as mocked the rich. "Good evening, Mr. Sokka Watertribe. Ms. Katara Watertribe. Lord Momo of the Momo Dynasty, your Momo-ness." Momo got in the curtain beside Aang playing along. I giggled at their nonsense.

Sokka grabbed another curtain to also mimic the rich. "Avatar Aang, how you _do_ go on."

They both bowed at one another simultaneously and knocked one another's heads in the process falling backward. I laughed and quickly covered my mouth to stifle it.

Toph sighed. "Katara and Crystal might be able to pull it off, but you two would be lucky to pass as busboys."

Rubbing his head, Sokka whined, "But I feel so fancy."

Toph sighed again, standing from her place on the floor. "Alright Sugarqueen and Princess. Let's go find us some outfits at the shop nearby."

Her words caused me to wince. "Um… I can't… I've made plans tonight."

Everyone was surprised. Sokka panicked. "What? With who? Is it a guy! Are you seeing someone! We've only been here for five days!"

"Sokka! Chill out!" I stood from where I knelt beside my map. "I'm going to search for Appa again."

Katara frowned. "Crys… You've been searching for him endlessly since we got here… You should take one night to rest."

"Going to a party won't be rest, Katara. I'll rest the day I find Appa." Walking over to the low table, I grabbed my coin bag from the surface and placed it in the pocket of my new trousers. "I won't stop until I find him."

As I went towards the door, Aang intercepted my path. "Crys… I think Katara may be right… I want to find Appa more than anything, but I also know my limits. You haven't taken any time to yourself since we got here… You look paler than usual…"

I grimaced. "I know my limits… I walked barefoot through the snow for a good two hours and survived an explosion set by pirates… A walk around the city won't kill me."

"It's not you walking we're worried about," Sokka suddenly said. "It's your mental exhaustion…"

"I'll be fine," I promised, looking around the room at them all. "You all just focus on getting to the Earth king. I'll focus on my health."

With that, I left the group once more to make my way again to the Lower Ring. As I headed out, I let out a heavy breath of relief. I hadn't felt in the mood to play dress up, and the last thing I wanted was to go to a party tonight. As much as I was tempted to stay and see what came to pass, I decided the last thing I needed to think about was what color dress to wear to go undercover.

Eventually, I made it back to the Lower Ring where I once again saw the same crowd of poor and mistreated men and women. As I started to maneuver my way in and out through the crowd, I followed the map I had memorized in my head. When I reached the shop district, the sun was already starting to lower.

I quickly began to confront the men and women around me asking if anyone had heard of a giant creature with six legs and an arrow on his body. Most of the people I asked just broke out into laughter. Others looked at me like I was insane. However, by the time the sun was starting to set, I came upon another shopkeeper who was closing up for the night. When I asked the man about Appa, his eyes widened.

"A giant bison…" The thirty-year-old man looked around, and then opened his shop door gesturing for me to come in. My heart thudded as hope surged through me. Stepping inside, I found the shopkeeper light a few candles around the shop with a match. He then sat at one of the tables he served people bread at. "Sorry for the secrecy…" He spoke softly as if to not be heard by others. "There are people in this city who shouldn't hear what I'm about to tell you…" He gestured to the chair in front of him.

I stepped over to him and sat down with shaking limbs. The man had shaggy brown hair and some stub on his chin. His clothes were a bit torn and faded. I felt I could trust him though.

"The bison… Yo-you know something about Appa?"

The man nodded. "It was about a week ago. I was taking out some old bread from the shop that night to deliver to a homeless man I'm good friends with. When I was headed around the corner, I saw a giant beast with six legs and a long tail. I quickly went behind some crates and peeked over to watch. The creature looked tired and beaten… That wasn't all I saw though… He was confronted by someone, and I could tell quickly it was one of the Dai Li agents… The man stamped his foot down, and the next thing I knew him and the bison were both gone. The whole thing happened so fast, I thought I was seeing things…" The man cut off when he saw the tears of anger pouring down my face.

"The Dai Li…" My hands tightened into fists. "Those monsters have Appa…"

The man looked at me with sorry eyes. "If they do have him, kid, there's no possible way you can get him back. Those people are an elite and skilled group of fighters. They're trained to protect the Earth King and keep order in the city… You'll be arrested if you try to-"

Standing, I hung my head and grit my teeth. My blood was boiling, and I felt the heat of my body make me dizzy. My heart pounded heavily in my ears. "I'll take whatever risk I have to… I will get Appa back…" Tears fell, and I quickly tried to wipe them away. Calming down, I said to the man with a weak smile, "Sorry… You have no clue how long I've been looking for answers." Bowing to him with gratitude, I said, "Thank you so much for your help… You've given me so much." Pulling out a few coins, I placed them on the table. "I'm truly grateful for the information you've given me."

Turning, I went to leave feeling my heart pound in my ears. "Hey… Perhaps I should get you a drink before you go… You don't look well…"

Grabbing the door frame to steady myself, I smiled back at him with reassurance. "I'm fine… Thank you… I should be getting back to my family though before they worry."

He nodded slowly. "Alright… Be careful…"

Leaving his shop, I walked for a moment and then stopped. Looking up at the darkening sky, I felt more rage boil through me. "So… The Dai Li's not what they seem after all…"

Turning, I went to head back to my family but stopped just as some kid ran past me with his other friends. "Come on! The fight's over here!"

At the boy's words, I heard shouts and gasps in the distance. Turning my head, I saw a crowd was gathered by another shop a few buildings down. Curiosity got the best of me, and I headed down the path towards the gathered crowd who were making cries of horror and comments of interest.

"You must be getting tired of using those swords! Why don't you go ahead and firebend at me!"

The voice that spoke made my eyes widen in disbelief. Jet?! What was he doing here?

Rushing over to the crowd, I tried to maneuver through and broke to the front. I saw him standing in the open space of the audience. His eyes were wild, and glaring daggers at his opponent. He'd officially gone insane. Looking over at who he was confronting, I felt my breathing catch.

"Please son," Iroh's familiar voice suddenly said. "You're confused. You don't know what you're doing!"

Zuko lunged forward with a sword just as Jet did the same with his hook swords. Their weapons crashed together sending sparks. As Zuko fought, I was amazed by his presence before me. They were in Ba Sing Se… Zuko and Iroh had made it after all…

His hair was so much longer but framed his face so well. He looked healthy physically, and I could see the same fighting spirit I'd grown to know so well had not left him. He looked stronger than I remembered. I stood still in shock, unable to believe he had been here this whole time… I'd been so anxious to find Appa, I never even imagined Zuko might be so near to me…

Zuko swung at Jet hard suddenly, but Jet caught Zuko's broad sword with the ends of his hook swords. He proceeded to spin around and deflect Zuko's attack to the side. Zuko spun with him and tried to counter his abrupt attack, but Jet hooked the ends of his swords together and began to move them towards Zuko in large circular motions. Zuko retreated back a few steps to avoid the bladed hilt, and stumbled slightly in the process.

Jet smirked and glanced over at Iroh who stood watching the scene at the door of a shop with horror. "Bet you wish he'd help you out with a little fire blast right now."

As Jet continued to swing at Zuko's feet, Zuko stabbed one of Jet's broadswords through the hilt, pinning it to the ground. Jet looked at it with annoyance and let go of it before focusing back on Zuko.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "You're the one who needs help."

They were both down to one sword now, evening the match. Jet backed up and turned in a circle to hit Zuko. Zuko advanced and swung his sword at Jet in a horizontal motion, just missing his face by an inch. He stumbled back from Zuko in shock, and quickly regained himself. As this happened, I could no longer stand around and watch the scene in silence. Looking over at the side of the building, I saw a trough of water for animals and quickly lifted the liquid into the air. People gasped beside me when they saw my actions.

Jet snapped, "You see that? The Fire Nation is trying to silence me. It'll never happen!" He jumped up and kicked at Zuko's chest. The blow sent him flying back and landing on the ground hard.

Rage filled me as I saw Jet hurt Zuko with such a hit. "Hey, Jet! It's not the Fire Nation you need to worry about!" I stepped into the clearing and shot my water straight at him. He gasped when my harsh blow sent him stumbling back and crashing to the ground.

He looked at his new attacker with bewilderment. I rushed in between him and Zuko lifting the water back in the air. Jet's eyes narrowed. "You!" He quickly scrambled to his feet and picked up his sword. "What are you doing?! You really are insane defending these people!"

"No! You're insane!" I felt my blood pound in my ears. "You're the one attacking innocent people out on the streets!"

"They're Fire Nation!" Jet pointed a sword at Zuko who was behind me still on the ground. "They're the enemy! Open your eyes! You're no different than your family!"

"And you're no different than the enemy. Hero's don't try to kill people!"

My words caused Jet to turn irate. He growled and shouted, "Don't compare me to those murderers!" He raced forward suddenly and went to swing his sword at me. I dropped my water down on his body and forced him to fall to the ground once again.

Freezing him to the dirt, I snapped, "You need some help! You've lost it!"

He was on his stomach, but his hand still gripped his sword. Since I'd only frozen his torso to the ground, he took the chance to hook his sword around my ankle. I gasped as I was yanked off my feet and landed back on the ground. My head made contact with the dirt, blurring my vision briefly. The sound of ice cracking was heard a second later, and I was greeted as my vision cleared up with a sword to my face.

"You should've stayed out of this," he hissed. "Now I'll add another scar to that face!" He lifted his sword to bring it down. I waited for the pain, but it never came.

Jet's sword was stopped by Zuko's once more, and Jet was forced back as Zuko pushed against his attack. As Jet stumbled to get some distance, I tried to recover from the pain I felt.

"Drop your weapons!"

A deep voice with an authoritative tone sounded in the distance. My eyes had cleared up, and I could see a man in a green robe with a circular brimmed hat. He walked forward with two other men flanked behind him in similar robes. My eyes widened when I recognized who they were.

The Dai Li…

Jet pointed his sword at Zuko, who had dropped his own obediently. "Arrest them! They're Firebenders! And that girl is their accomplice!"

Iroh defended himself and Zuko's identity. "This poor boy is confused. We're just simple refugees."

Another older man walked forward and pointed at Jet. "This young man wrecked my tea shop and assaulted my employees.

An Earth Kingdom officer stepped out of the crowd. "It's true sir. We saw the whole thing. This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city."

The two men managed to grab Jet and disarm him, while the third opened the door to a wagon that I'd been too pained to notice. As they forced the kicking and screaming young man into the wagon, I managed to get to my feet. My vision blurred, but thoughts immediately clouded my mind of Appa. My heart pounded heavily as I moved my limbs towards the men who were locking Jet up inside the wagon. Adrenaline pumped through me as I desperately tried to get the answers I sought.

"Wait! I have to ask you… I need to know if you've seen a bison… He's the Avata-"

The strong man in the green robe turned towards me and grabbed my shoulder to cut me off. "It's alright now, miss…" His grip tightened on my shoulder threateningly to silence me. "You need to return home before your friends worry... You've been through a lot tonight. The Dai Li will handle this." Without another word, the man got into the wagon with the other three. The door shut, and the wagon took off causing a cloud of dirt to rise up between myself and the answers I needed.

The Dai Li had Appa… The man's evasion of my question and his threatening grip confirmed it.

"Alright, everyone… Nothing to see here," the owner of the tea shop suddenly spoke. "The shop will be closing early as repairs need to be made."

My heart thudded in my ears, and I felt the pain on the back of my skull intensify. My vision blurred as my body hit exhaustion. I hadn't slept more than four hours the night before, and I ate only lunch that day. I'd walked for hours across the city searching for answers.

Sokka, Aang, and Katara had been right… I was overdoing it… But I was so close… I knew who had Appa… I had to find him…

My legs gave out on me suddenly, and I began to feel as though the world was spinning. Arms caught me before I could completely crash to the dirt. As I rested on my knees, hot tears slid down my cheeks.

"Lee… I'll handle helping with the shop. You get her back to the apartment," Iroh's voice spoke from somewhere behind me. "She needs to lay down for a bit… She hit her head pretty hard."

"Yeah…" Zuko whispered in my ear. "I'll do that…"

Iroh added, "I'll get a message to her family somehow… I assume they're in the city…"

"Okay…" Zuko brushed hair from my face. "Come on Crystal."

"No…" I shook my head weakly. "I have to find Appa… I need to-"

"Crys…" Zuko cut me off with his soft tone. "Quiet…" He pressed a warm finger to my cheek brushing a tear. "You're hurt… You need to rest."

I shook my head. "No… Appa…"

"Is she alright… Do you need me to go get a doctor?" A woman's soft tone spoke from somewhere nearby.

Zuko stood, forcing me to stand as well. I fell into his body unable to hold my balance. "Thank you, but I've got her… She just needs some rest… I'm a friend of hers. I'll handle it." I shut my eyes as Zuko spoke, so tired but glad to hear his voice. His arm suddenly hooked under my knees, and his other went behind my back. He lifted me up then, and as my feet left the earth I felt my consciousness fade.

"I've got you, Crys..."

Zuko's warm arms helped me forget the pain, and I let my exhaustion take me away.

 **Third Person POV (Three hours later…)**

"The Dai Li make me sick!" Sokka stormed into the home they were staying in and plopped down on one of the many cushions. Katara and Toph followed him into the house a second later, both of them dressed in elegant floral gowns with makeup painting their faces. Aang and Momo came in behind them, and they both looked greatly dismayed. "They have to be brainwashing people or something! That chick was not Joo Dee, and there's no way they can silence a whole city about war without controlling people!"

"Sokka! Calm down!" Katara wiped her face with her dress sleeve and then undid the pins in her hair. "There's nothing we can do about it right now… We need to keep our cool and think about this rationally…"

Aang nodded. "Katara's right… The Dai Li are creepy and up to something, but what Long Feng told us tonight was true… We need to just focus on finding Appa… Crystal finding his fur confirms that he's here somewhere. We'll figure out the Earth King later."

At his words, Toph spoke up. "Hey… Speaking of Princess… Shouldn't she be back by now? It's past midnight…"

Sokka sat up with surprise. "What… She's not back…" He looked around the building, and then stood heading to the room his sisters were staying in. He peeked in and then turned to the group with worry. "You're right! She should be back by now!" He rushed over to the table in the kitchen and grabbed his boomerang. "I'm going out to look for her! She could be in danger, or hurt, or-"

"I'm sure she's fine…" Aang said, although he didn't sound confident. "I mean… She probably just lost track of time and is-"

A knock on the door suddenly sounded, and Toph went over to see who it was. A young man stood on the porch, and he had a scroll in his hand. "I have a message for the Avatar and his friends," he said between breaths and handed the item over.

Toph took it with question. "Who's it from?"

The guy answered, "Joo Dee requested you receive the message. I was not given any other information. Good night." He turned and left the porch without another word. Toph shut the door, and handed the scroll over to Katara. She opened it and looked at the contents with question. Relief flooded through her at what was written.

"Sokka. You can put the boomerang down. Crystal's fine… She had a letter written for her it seems. Say's she lost track of time and decided to get a room in the Lower Ring for the night. She wants us not to worry."

"How do we know that's really from, Crystal?" Sokka narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Could be the Dai Li for all we know!"

"I doubt it. The name of the inn is on the paper. I don't think the Dai Li would leave us with a location if they were keeping her from us," Katara said. She handed the note to Sokka. "She's fine… I'm sure she'll be back sometime tomorrow. If she isn't we'll head to the Lower Ring and get her."

Sokka read the note himself and then sighed. "Fine…" He rolled the scroll back up. "I knew letting her go off alone was a bad idea though…"

Toph shook her head. "Princess won't stop until she finds Appa… You know she blames herself too much for him getting taken…"

Katara frowned. "She's always blamed herself for everything… She puts too much on her shoulders… She has since she was young..."

Aang was surprised. "What do you mean?"

She walked across the room to a bowl of water, and picked up the rag inside wiping her face. "She blames herself for mom's death, and dad leaving us…" She looked at Aang with pain. "That's how she's always been… Adding Appa to the list doesn't surprise me."

A brief pause fell over the room. "Well…" Toph spoke up suddenly. "Let's all get some rest so she doesn't add more blame to her chest. If she finds out we're worrying about her like this, she'll only add this to her list of guilt too."

Aang nodded. "Yeah… Crys knows what she's doing. She'll be fine… Let's go to bed… I'm sure she'll be back before we know it."

"And besides… Princess isn't sleeping on the streets or something. She's in an inn, so she'll be fine alone for one night," Toph reassured.

Sokka frowned, placing his boomerang back on the table. "I just hope she didn't overdo it today… She's been too focused on Appa this week and hasn't thought about her own health…"

Katara walked over to Sokka and placed a hand on his tense shoulder. "I'm sure she's finally getting some rest… If she made her way back tonight there's no telling what might have happened to her. She made a wise choice staying at the inn. She'll make her way back tomorrow."

"Yeah… I know… I just worry about her…"

Katara hung her head at her brother's words. "I know… I do too…"

* * *

 **A/N: I couldn't resist bringing Zuko and Crystal back together! I missed it so much, so I'm sorry if it was too soon for some of you all. I was tired of waiting though. Hope you enjoyed!**


	36. The Right Path

**Chapter 36**

 **(Zuko POV)**

My mind was wild with thoughts after I had gotten back to the apartment. Once I had placed Crystal on my sleeping mat, and moved my thin blanket over her, I began to pace the room in first bewilderment and then heavy uncertainty. Everything had happened so fast, and I was just starting to gather the events that had passed.

That crazy guy Jet tried to expose my Uncle and I as firebenders, and we'd fought in the street. Then out of nowhere, Crystal jumped between us and managed to take Jet down before he caused serious harm to me. She was injured in the process, but watching her fight amazed me as I saw improvement in her bending since last time I was with her. I knew immediately her sister had been training her.

Her sister…

If Crystal was here, then that could only mean her family and the Avatar were nearby. How near though? Were they in the Lower Ring? I doubted that… Being the Avatar probably bumped them up to the Upper Ring. If they were in the Upper Ring though, then was there a chance I could get to the Avatar.

The sound of Crystal shifting on the mat made me freeze in my pacing. Looking over at her, I dropped my hand from where I'd been clutching my hair in thought. Walking back over, I knelt down as quietly as I could and took in her unconscious appearance. Her hair was shorter than when I last saw her, but long enough for her to put up if she tried. Her skin was paler than I remembered, but I assumed that probably had to be due to exhaustion. I recalled the last thing she spoke to me after I managed to catch her from completely collapsing to the dirt.

 _I have to find Appa…_

Appa… I'd heard the name before, but I struggled for a second to figure out what she meant. Then I understood as the image of a giant flying sky-bison came to my head. The Avatar's animal was named Appa. Why did Crystal have to find him?

Another question then came to my mind: Was Crystal walking through the Lower Ring all by herself? As I thought this, I saw then for the first time how worn down and beaten she looked. She had bags under her eyes, and she looked thinner than I remembered. How long had she been searching for the Avatar's sky-bison? What happened to her while we were apart?

The door to the apartment opened a good hour later, and Uncle stepped in with a heavy sigh. I was still on the floor, completely bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

"I'll be heading to work tomorrow…" Uncle began to speak. "The shop needs repairs made which will take a good day or two. I suppose you can have the day off. I spoke to the manager and he has permitted it since we probably won't have a lot of business due to the damage." Uncle walked over to me then, asking, "How is she? I managed to contact someone who said they could get a message to Crystal's family. I wrote that she's staying at an inn for the night… I don't want her family coming to look for her…"

I brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Why… Are you worried I'll try to capture the Avatar…?"

A moment of silence passed through the room. Uncle breathed in heavily, and then walked over to me. "We need to talk about that… Now that you know Crystal's family is here in Ba Sing Se, what do you plan to do, Prince Zuko? Are you really going to go after the Avatar, knowing it would break Crystal's heart?"

Shutting my eyes, I pulled from her and ran a hand through my hair in uncertainty. My heart ached as I was conflicted.

"You know you have to choose, Prince Zuko… You can't have both… Are you going to try to pursue the Avatar again, knowing if you do so you will lose Crystal in the process?"

My eyes shot back open, and I looked down at the sleeping beauty before me. As I stared down at her face, I felt torn between two things: Love and honor. Which did I want more?

"I'm going to get some rest so I can wake up in a few hours to make some tea for Crystal… In that time, I hope you can choose the proper path." Uncle walked away from me, and as he went I felt his words linger in my ears.

 _…_ _choose the proper path…_

My hand went up to the left side of my face, and I brushed my hand against my scar in deep contemplation. As I did so, I thought about something my mother told me a long time ago.

 _"_ _Honor is more than what your father say's it is, Zuko… Even the greatest rulers of nations can be the most dishonorable characters. Your honor comes from here." My mother grabbed my eight-year-old hand and placed it against my chest. "Your honor comes from your heart… Don't ever let your father make you believe otherwise. Stay true to who you are, my young prince…"_

My heart thudded in pain, and I looked back down at Crystal. Her necklace shined from the firelight as it rested on her collarbone. I carefully reached forward and picked up the crystal gem enough to inspect it. I smiled, glad to see she had kept it with her all this time. She'd held on to me, even though she had returned to her family.

 _Are you going to try to pursue the Avatar again, knowing if you do so you will lose Crystal in the process?_

Uncle's words still rang inside me. As they did, I pictured myself choosing to go after the Avatar. I pictured the heartbreak and betrayel in Crystal's eyes. I pictured her never wanting to see me again…

I realized then what I should've told myself a long time ago…

I couldn't imagine living without Crystal… I couldn't bear the thought of her hating me… I didn't want to earn favor from father and lose the one person who loved me in the process. I could recall the conversation I had with Crystal so long ago, right before we shared our first kiss.

 _"What do_ _you_ _know about love?"_

 _Her deep blue eyes looked towards me with pity. "I know it's_ _not_ _something you'll find at home."_

 _"Then where will I find it?! Surely not in the earth kingdom of all places! I haven't known love since my mother went missing! How could you possibly think I could find this love anywhere else besides home?!"_

 _Tears started to fall from her eyes. They weren't tears because she was afraid. They were tears because she felt sorry for my pain. She cried out, "You already have it! If you would just open your eyes for one damn second you would see it right in front of you!"_

 _"What are you talking about?!"_

 _She stared deep into my eyes as she shouted back, "Me, you idiot! I love you!"_

Love… My heart was warm at the thought of having someone who actually loved me for me. She didn't see me as a monster, or the son of a monster. She saw me as just Zuko, and I loved her for that…

The proper path… I knew the proper path… I just had to be brave enough to take it…

 **(Crystal POV)**

A soft hand brushed through my hair repetitively, bringing me slowly back to my senses. My body felt heavy from exhaustion, and my head pounded in pain. The night before was a blur, but I could vaguely recall bits and pieces slowly.

I'd been searching for Appa… A shopkeeper… He told me he had seen Appa… He had seen Appa forced underground…

There was a fight too… A fight between Jet and Zuko… I had jumped in…

The Dai Lee… They showed up too… They arrested Jet, and… and they had Appa!

My eyes opened wide and I gasped as light flooded into my vision blinding me. A sharp pain shot to the back of my skull where I'd hit the ground after Jet's attack, and I quickly shut my eyes again to stop the stabbing sensation. The hand brushing through my hair stopped, but I could still feel the soft touch on my skull.

"Crystal… Don't be so quick. You have a pretty nice sized bump on your head." Iroh's familiar voice soothed the ache along with the comforting touch still lingering on my head. Iroh's voice surprised and confused me: Why was I with Iroh?

"I've made some tea to help with the pain. You need to drink something…"

Opening my eyes slowly this time, I saw through blurred vision the dancing candlelight in the room. Blinking a few times to try and clear my sight, I slowly began to focus on the world around me. When I did, I saw Iroh kneeling beside me with a tray in his lap. On the tray was a cup of tea. The hand that had been brushing through my hair had pulled away, and I began to miss the calming touch.

"Iroh…?" My voice spoke softly. Everything was still hazy and felt like a dream, but I was aware that I was indeed not at the house in the Upper Ring. I'd passed out last night in Zuko's arms…

Sitting up slowly, I pressed my hand to my head pushing against my temple to try and soothe the pain. "How long have I…" I stopped though when realization hit me. I gasped as my heart gave a sharp thud.

"Appa!" I threw my hand down to the mat I was on, and tried to stand as my blood pounded through my ears. The movement was rash and in a panic disarray. "I have to-"

Iroh grabbed my arm to stop and keep me down, ordering over my distress, "Calm down, Crystal. You're in no condition to get up so quickly." His touch quickly brought me back to my senses. My heart slowed in its pace, and I relaxed my body once more. Sitting back down on the mat, I breathed in to try and calm myself. My head pulsed from my previous rapid movement, and I returned my hand to my temple wincing from the sharp ache in my skull.

The smell of jasmine tea filled my nostrils as I tried to dull the pain. Opening my eyes again slowly, I saw the cup held out to me.

"Drink, Crystal… I put some herbs inside to help with the pain."

Looking at the cup in Iroh's hand, I glanced over at the man I hadn't seen in so long. The last time I'd been with Iroh, he had been struck by Azula's lightning. He looked well though, and he also looked happy to see me. As I took in his earth kingdom clothing and his healthy complexion, I smiled weakly. Taking the cup from him with a shaky grip, I took a sip and immediately enjoyed the taste. Iroh's tea was always so calming and refreshing.

"Zuko… Go grab the wet rag on the table. There's still a bit of swelling."

At the name Zuko, I felt my heart skip a beat. Everything had been in such a blur, I'd regretfully forgotten the other presence in the room. I looked over to see his figure walk over to a small table against the wall and grab a rag from the bowl on its center. He turned then, and our eyes met for what felt like the first time in a month. Soft golden orbs met my gaze, and I felt my heart warm at the familiar sight. He smiled with relief when he saw I was finally calm and fully aware, and walked back over to me with the rag in his hand.

"You're still getting into trouble I see," he said softly. Kneeling beside me, he carefully placed the rag on the back of my head. I grimaced as soon as pain shot through my skull, but after a second the pain dulled. "Jumping into battles that aren't your own."

Looking at him with relief, I said softly, "Look who's talking… You're the one getting into sword fights with lunatics..."

He smiled at my words. "That guy was nothing… I was doing just fine…" He lowered the rag from my head, and brushed a strand of hair from my face. "You shouldn't be so rash all the time though. You could seriously get hurt…" His thumb pressed to my cheekbone and traced the outline of my scar.

Placing my cup down on the floorboard beside me, I turned suddenly and threw my arms around Zuko's neck. He caught me quickly and hugged me around the waist, holding me to him tight as if he were terrified to let me go again. I pressed my face into his shirt, taking in his warmth for what felt like the first time in years. I had missed him more than I realized. We'd only been separated for a few weeks, but it had felt like a lifetime.

"I'll go brew some more tea," Iroh spoke, deciding to give the two of us privacy. I heard him leave, but didn't look as I kept close to Zuko in his arms.

"I was afraid I'd never see you again," I whispered, feeling a tear build in my eye. "I missed you…"

He pressed his face into the top of my head, and his other hand gently pressed to the back of my skull. The pressure didn't hurt, but soothed the pain. "I missed you too."

"I'm so glad you and Iroh made it to Ba Sing Se in one piece."

"And I'm glad your okay…" He pulled away then, and looked down at me with question. "But what were you doing by yourself last night…? You shouldn't wander around Ba Sing Se so carelessly."

I smiled weakly. "I can take care of myself, Zuko… I know what I'm doing…"

He narrowed his eyes. "You can take care of yourself? You almost broke your skull last night."

I grimaced. "Well… I was doing just fine until then…"

"And what were you _doing_?"

His question made pain stab at my heart again. Scooting back from him, I looked down at my hands which I placed over my lap. I was kneeling at this point, so it was easy to avoid his gaze. My hair fell over my face as tears threatened to fall. His question brought back the guilt and pain that had been suppressed by our reunion.

"I'm looking for Appa…"

Zuko took in my words slowly. "The Avatar's pet, right?"

Nodding, I hung my head more.

"Why… Shouldn't he be the one looking for him?"

Shaking my head, I answered, "Appa's missing because of me… I have to find him. I promised Aang I would."

Zuko's hand grabbed my chin, and I was forced to meet his gaze. Question burned in his eyes. "What happened? The Avatar doesn't seem like the type to let his bison disappear on him."

Grabbing his hand, I lowered it from my face but held onto it tight. As I did, I told him the story about the day I lost Appa. He listened attentively and was furious when he found out the sandbenders had dealt with me so harshly. When I told him how hard I fought, and how easily I failed, his eyes softened into both understanding and reassurance.

"Crys… It wasn't your fault… Those thieves outnumbered you by eight men. You didn't have a chance."

I felt a tear fall down my cheek. "Appa was depending on me, Zuko… I let him down. I have to find him. I have to save him."

"If what you say is true, and the Dai Lee does happen to have the bison, getting him back will be dangerous. You could get yourself killed, or imprisoned… From what I understand, the Dai Lee are a corruptive batch of officials. Refugees are warned to steer clear of them."

"I don't care… He needs me."

Zuko went to argue again, but when he saw the sincerity in my eyes he let out a heavy sigh. "Fine… I'll help you…"

I was surprised. "Yo-you will?"

He nodded. "I don't like the idea of you going up against the Dai Lee alone… Of course we need to figure out where they are holding the Avatar's pet. I assume it would be somewhere hidden if they do have him."

I couldn't help but feel a small hint of suspicion at his true motives. I stared at him for a moment, taking in his expression as he pondered over something in his head. My heart wanted to trust him, but I also knew he was set on restoring his honor.

"Zuko… I have to ask you this… It's not because I don't want to trust you, but that I have to think about the others… Why do you want to help me? Is it so you can get to the Avatar…?"

He wasn't surprised by my question. He frowned though in confliction and looked down at the floor crossing his arms. "I'm not sure…"

Running a hand through my hair, I softly said, "I can't let you help me unless you promise to leave Aang alone… You have to understand, Aang is my friend. I can't see him get hurt…"

Silence fell between the both of us. I looked down at his hands which were fists on the floorboards. He relaxed though, and his fists opened. He reached forward and brushed his thumb against my cheek, gazing into my eyes intently. "I know what I want… And the Avatar isn't it…"

His words made my heart melt and I smiled so glad to hear his words. I felt his sincerity. Even though I wasn't a hundred percent certain I could trust him to the end, I knew he wouldn't want to do something that would hurt me. My hand went over his as he rested it against my face. "I believe you…"

Some time later I composed a letter to my family with the help of Zuko. I could read pretty well since Zuko and Iroh had taught me, but writing was not my strong suit. After five sheets of splattered ink and horrible writing, I had a semi-decent letter for my family.

 _I won't be back for a few days. Found information on Appa, and don't want to stop my search. Don't worry about me. I am being taken care of. Continue trying to contact the Earth King. I'll see you all soon. Love Crys._

Once my letter was composed, I sought out a messenger to have it delivered for me. While I did so, Zuko analyzed some maps of Ba Sing Se to try and find possible areas where Appa may be. Iroh pulled me aside when I got back from delivering my message, and told me to keep an eye on Zuko. "He's conflicted right now… I'm not sure what he will do if you two really do find the bison."

I nodded with a grimace. "I worry about the same thing Iroh… But I want to trust him…"

He smiled weakly, placing a fatherly palm on my shoulder. "I want to as well."

Getting back into the small apartment that Iroh and Zuko were living in, I approached Zuko who was packing a bag with food and supplies. Walking over to the table he stood by, I looked down at the map where he'd made markings with dots of ink. "I say we start in the agrarian zone. That will take us a few days to look through. There's a zoo in the zone I thought we could head to today. They have large animals, so they may be keeping Appa."

I was surprised. I hadn't been informed that Ba Sing Se had a zoo. I nodded surveying the map.

"Alright you two," Iroh spoke, coming inside. "I'm going to head to the shop and start cleaning up the place. Be careful on your search."

Looking back at Iroh, I saw him meet my eyes and smile with encouragement. I smiled back, having missed his face the weeks we'd been apart.

"Come on… We should head out before it gets too late," Zuko commented. He slung his bag over his shoulder, and then began to head towards the door. I felt my heart warm at the thought of getting to be with Zuko again. I'd missed him…

As Zuko and I walked through the town to the tram that would carry us to the agrarian zone, we both discussed what had happened with us over the time we'd been apart. Zuko was bewildered when I told him about his sister almost breaking into the city of Ba Sing Se. The city had kept the drill and everything else war related from the ears of the people.

Zuko told me about his confrontation with two men who were trying to collect a bounty off of him and his uncle. He then informed me that Iroh was part of some secret organization of old people. These people helped Iroh and him escape from the two bounty hunters by hiding them in flower pots. I laughed and shook my head in disbelief.

"Did you smell good afterward?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I wish… Afterward, we were refugees waiting for passage into Ba Sing Se. That's when I met that crazy guy Jet. He saw Uncle firebend his tea and was on our tail ever since."

I sighed. "Yeah… My family ran into him before. He's blinded by rage…"

"I can see that…" Zuko fell silent for a moment. His hand suddenly slipped into my own as he did so, and I smiled with content at his familiar touch. "You shouldn't have jumped in like that the other day..."

I glanced over at him with a smirk. "If I can take on your sister, I can definitely take on some dude with swords."

He squeezed my hand. "I believe that."

Eventually we arrived at the zoo of Ba Sing Se and began our search. As we looked around the pens, I knew immediately Appa wasn't there. The Dai Lee wouldn't put him in a zoo where he can be seen. Zuko questioned one of the workers at the Zoo, who just laughed and told him the animal he was looking for was extinct. I scowled and told the man that he obviously hadn't heard about the Avatar and his sky-bison. The man was stunned by my irritation, while Zuko grabbed my forearm and pulled me away.

As we left the zoo, Zuko seemed silent to his thoughts for a moment. Then he spoke. "You're different…"

His words surprised me. Looking over at him, I asked what he meant.

"You're stronger… Braver…"

I blushed, looking down at the dirt. "I guess getting stranded in the dessert can do that to you… Plus, I'm determined to do what I can to save Appa…"

"We're going to find him," Zuko promised. "He has to be somewhere in this city…"

Letting out a heavy sigh, I shut my eyes. "I just hope we find him soon… I hate the thought of him being alone…"

Another day passed, and I knew my family would be worried about me. I couldn't give up though. I had to keep looking. Zuko was expected to return to work for the night, so after a few hours of searching he left me at the apartment to go to the tea shop. While he was gone, I scanned over the map with dismay. It felt like we'd searched miles of the agrarian zone and found nothing. We'd walked by a giant lake, around numerous mounds, and past tons of farms and there still was no sign of the giant furry bison I knew so well.

After staring at a map for what felt like forever, I decided to go get some air. Leaving the building, I headed in a random direction through the streets. As I did so, I noticed there were more people than usual wandering around. I asked an elderly woman seated on a wooden bench what was happening. She answered that it was the festival they held every year in honor of the late king of Ba Sing Se.

Deciding to check it out, I walked through the crowded streets and saw stalls were set up and children were running around with excitement. A few shopkeepers tried to get me to buy their goods, and I kindly refused telling them I had no money. The sun set some more, and the streets filled with light from lanterns. Children lit firecrackers and shrieked with delight, while their parents walked behind them conversing.

Feeling overwhelmed by the scene around me, I maneuvered through the bodies of people and managed to find myself at a cracked fountain where water rippled inside. Sitting on the side of the fountain, I let out a heavy sigh as I heard the music of the drums and tsungi horn played in the background. Looking down at the dark water, I lifted some up into the air and pulled it in front of me. Swirling the water between my hands, I smiled as I practiced freezing and unfreezing the particles, enjoying the feeling of being able to bend again. I could remember when I was young, and I used to watch Katara waterbend. I always envied her abilities and wanted to be like her. She was so strong compared to me… I wanted to be strong like her.

"So this is where you ran off to," a voice spoke from behind me. Stratled, I dropped my water on the ground and looked over to see Zuko approach. He stepped over to me, and then sat down with a deep sigh. "I went back to the apartment… I guessed you were out here somewhere."

I nodded. "Yeah… I needed some air. I got side tracked with the festivities." After a pause, I asked, "How was work?"

He shrugged. "Not exciting… People are still treating me like a common servant boy… One girl keeps stalking me too. Makes me want to stay back in the kitchen with Uncle… The shopkeeper likes having me around though. He said he's never had so many _lovely_ customers before."

I grimaced. "Well… You are handsome… Any girl would think so…"

He glanced over at me, and then gave a small smile. "Don't worry… You're the only girl I have my sights on."

His words made me think back to the dark haired chick with the knives. "What about that girl… Mei, right? She's from your childhood isn't she?"

My question lingered for a minute. Then Zuko took my hand in his. "Mei was my crush when I was six. We've both grown up a lot over the years though… I don't feel anything for her. And she only liked me because I was a prince. If she saw me now, she'd brush me aside."

Mei's cold expression lingered in my head. "I don't know about that… When I ran into her over a week ago, she seemed pretty upset that I stole you from her."

He smiled. "Mei's always upset." He looked over at me with sincerity. "Don't worry. I'd rather be with someone who can make me smile…" He leaned towards me, and his other hand cupped my cheek. "Someone who makes me feel alive and loved."

My heart thudded, and my face grew hot at his touch. The lanterns around us glowed creating a calm and peaceful scene. As Zuko closed the distance between us, I felt his warm lips brush against my own softly. Then he brought me closer and deepened the kiss sliding his hand back behind my head and tangling his fingers in my hair. The sound of the festival faded away as I lost myself to Zuko's familiar touch.

Sometime passed, and Zuko and I were enjoying the night air together. As we returned to the festivities, Zuko purchased rock candy for the both of us and we let ourselves enjoy some of the entertainment. We watched a man juggle knives, listened to a woman sing a traditional Earth Kingdom tune, and saw an earthbender mold rocks into exciting shapes.

"I've missed this," I spoke, leaning against him as we stood before the entertainer who was now crafting a rock into a strange looking fish. "I've missed being with you."

He nodded, pulling me closer to his side by my waist. "It was pretty boring without you… You keep things interesting when you're around."

After a moment of thought, I asked softly, "Do you… Do you still want to go home? Do you still want to restore your honor even after everything that's happened to you?"

Silence fell between us for a moment as Zuko thought it over. Finally, he let out a deep sigh and spoke honestly. "I don't know… There's always going to be that part of me that misses being in the Fire Nation and in the palace. Royalty is in my blood… But I also don't mind being away from my father and the strict order of the palace. I feel like I can be myself out here…" He pulled away from me and ran a hand through his hair. "I miss being at home though… I feel like I'm torn between two paths, and I don't know which one to take."

I frowned, crossing my arms for comfort. "I'm sorry… I know this must be hard for you. I can't imagine not being able to go home after so many years. You had to leave your whole life behind to go search endlessly for a person trapped for years in an iceberg…"

He smiled weakly. "That part still amazes me… The Avatar is truly one of a kind…"

"Yeah… He's a good kid." I turned and placed my hand on his arm. "This is going to sound crazy," I began, my voice catching slightly as I told Zuko the one thing I desire more than anything. "…I have a thought… Join me and the others… Help us end the war and restore peace. I know you want this war to stop as much as the rest of us. My family, Toph, and Aang would take a little persuading, but I know once they see the real you they'll be happy to have you join us. Iroh too… We could stay together and not have to part again. We'll find Appa and return him to the others together… Then they'll see how kind and caring you are…"

Zuko turned and brushed his thumb across my face which had a tear fall unknowingly. "Crys… I want to be with you… But I also know the Avatar and your family will never allow that. They hate me, and I don't blame them. After everything I've done to them, I could never earn their trust."

"You're wrong… My family are more understanding than you know… They will listen, and so will Aang and Toph. You just have to give them a chance."

He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to my own. Shutting his eyes for a moment, he breathed in slowly and then his shoulders slumped in defeat. Pulling away, he pushed a lock of hair behind my ear. "Let's find the sky-bison first… Then I promise you I'll think about it…"

Knowing there was nothing else I could say to persuade him, I nodded and put my arms around him. He hugged me to his body stroking my hair. After embracing for a good minute, he pulled away and kissed me tenderly on the forehead. Pulling apart, he rubbed the back of his neck having a blush on his cheeks.

"Um… I'm going to go see if they have more rock candy… I'll be back."

I smiled weakly. "Okay. I'll wait here."

He nodded and headed off into the crowd. As he disappeared amongst the people, I turned and watched a man weave a basket out of bark absentmindedly. Thoughts ran through my head as I recalled all I'd just spoken to Zuko. I wanted us to be together, and on the same side of the war. I knew such a dream was harder than it sounded though. Shutting my eyes, I sighed heavily wishing life wasn't so complicated.

As my thoughts distracted me, I didn't notice the figure approaching from behind. A hand suddenly grabbed my shoulder, and jerked me back slightly. I went rigid at the unfamiliar touch. A cold voice hissed in my ear, "Finally we're alone… You've been causing a lot of trouble lately searching for this bison, girl… Either you end your quest, or the Dai Li will end it for you."

I felt my body tremble, but jerked from his grasp and turned to see the intruder. A man in a black and green robe stood before me, his hair tied back and his gray eyes piercing into my soul. He was tall and stood firm, looking like a government official of some kind.

Staring at him for a moment, realization quickly came to me. "You- you're a part of the Dai Li, aren't you?" My question came out with venom as I immediately disliked the man before me. " _You're_ one of the people that _took_ Appa!"

He held a straight face. "Well, well… I see your research _has_ paid off. Clearly you are wiser than I pegged you to be. Yes. My name is Long Feng, and I am Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se… Your family has already met me during one of their own foolish acts." He placed his hands behind his back. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid you know too much. I'm going to have to take you into my custody until the Avatar and his friends agree to leave the city. I can't have you telling them about the Dai Li's involvement with the sky-bison."

I stepped back, feeling my blood run cold. "What? You can't do that… Not in front of all of these people. I've done nothing to deserve such treatment!"

He sneered. "Silence before you cause a scene! And actually, I can. Because if you don't come with me willingly, I will see to it that the Avatar _never_ sees his bison again. That creature is locked up where I have easy access to him. You refuse to come with me, and I will _kill_ the beast."

My eyes widened in terror.

He smiled deviously with satisfaction. "I see I've gotten your attention. Don't worry though… I'll let you see your furry friend once we get to where we'll be keeping you. I'm generous, so I'll lock you in the cell with him. Hopefully that will shut the beast up from all his noise."

Looking around, I prayed Zuko would return but knew luck wasn't on my side. As I debated my options, I searched for water but saw nothing within reach. Long Feng had most likely been following me for some time, but decided not to approach me when I was back at the fountain. He knew I was defenseless at the moment.

"What is your decision?"

Looking at the heartless man before me, the only thought going through my head at the moment was Appa's safety. I knew what I had to do… I was scared though… I'd been prisoner before, but I had no clue who these Dai Li people were. I dreaded the thought of not being able to escape once I was their prisoner.

I gritted my teeth. "What will you tell my family when they begin to worry about me?"

He smirked. "Simple… You and some boy with a scar met in the lower ring and decided to leave the city together. I'm well aware of your feelings for that boy you've been with all night. I know he's the Fire Lord's son, and I know about your relationship with him. You can thank your friend Jet for that information."

I growled. My hand tightened into a fist, but I knew I couldn't lash at him.

"Shall we go…? Or should I prepare the grill for sky-bison filet?"

Tears burned in my eyes. Rage flooded through me. However, I let out a heavy breath and released my fist. Hanging my head in defeat, I said softly, "Okay… Don't hurt him… I'll do whatever you want… Just leave Appa alone."

He grabbed my forearm and began to pull me roughly through the crowd. "Good. I'm glad we've reached an agreement." As he tugged me along, I caught the eye of a woman who was holding the hand of a young boy. She watched me pass with worry, and I wanted so terribly to give her a message. Long Feng jerked me harshly though, snapping at me to keep up. In defeat, I quickened my step trying to form a plan but drawing a blank at the moment.

 **Zuko POV**

I couldn't help but be distracted as I handed over the money to the man before me. Taking the fabric bag of rock candy, I turned and started to walk through the crowd in thought. My heart ached as I struggled with everything Crystal had spoken to me.

Join the Avatar? Help stop the war? Crystal had just tried to convince me to completely change sides and fight against my father. I was troubled as two paths stood before me. I could either capture the Avatar and return to the life I'd known for so long, or I could betray my father and stay with the woman I loved knowing it would make me into a traitor but I would be happy.

I was terrified of choosing the wrong path, knowing either one would cause me to lose something I cared about. I had to decide which one I wanted the most.

As I returned to the place I had left Crystal, I stopped at the basket weaver and looked around the crowd. However, my gut twisted when I didn't see the person I'd left behind. As I looked around with concern, I saw the crowd had begun to shrink as the night grew later.

"I'm telling you!" A desperate woman cried suddenly from behind. "The poor child was being dragged off! You have to do something!"

"Miss…" Another woman spoke firmly. "Calm down. I'm sure it was just a father and his daughter. You saw wrong."

"No! I saw a Dai Li official drag her off!"

"If it was the Dai Li, then it was for a reason. I'm sure she'll be fine. She was probably a runaway or something. No need to fret, miss."

My eyes shot over to a female guard who was trying to calm down a woman holding a young boy in her arms. She seemed frustrated as she tried to talk sense to the older woman in uniform.

"I'm not crazy! Something is going on here! That girl looked terrified! She's a girl with a scar! She was wearing blue clothing! You have to find and help her!"

Without another thought, I dropped my rock candy causing it to splatter across the dirt and rushed over to the woman who was begging the guard for assistance. Grabbing the woman's shoulder, I asked in a panic, "The girl with the scar? Was it on her face?"

She was startled by my interruption but nodded. "Yes. She was standing near me when the man approached her. I watched from a distance. I was worried something was off. She was dragged away by the man."

I felt horror fill me. "Which way did they go?!"

She quickly pointed down the road. "That way! You may be able to catch up if you hurry."

Turning on my heel, I raced in the direction she gestured towards. The female guard called after me in question. Ignoring her, I raced through the crowd searching wildly for the one person I didn't want to lose again. I shouldn't have left her alone!

As I rushed through the streets looking for the one person I cared about more than anything, I knew as the streets grew emptier and darker that my search would be futile. If a Dai Li official did take her, he probably had transportation ready.

What did the Dai Li want with her though?

After running for what felt like hours, I finally stopped to catch my breath against a building. Trying to cool off, I felt my racing heart calm down. I knew I needed to come up with another strategy. I was wasting time running around in such a panic. I needed to get back to the apartment and tell Uncle what was going on. He'd know what to do.

Shutting my eyes tight, I breathed in and out trying to calm my worry. However, the only thing going through my mind was that Crys was being dragged to who knows where by some crazy government official. If what the woman said was true, I had no clue what was going to happen to Crys.

I had to find her. And fast.

 **Crystal POV**

"Get in!" Long Feng shoved me towards a hole that he'd just bent into the stone bridge that had water on both sides. My hands were cuffed behind me so I couldn't bend, and my eyes had just been uncovered by the blindfold Long Feng's henchman managed to get on me. The other Dai Li man who had been waiting with the carriage as Long Feng retrived me from the festival, managed to tie cloth around my eyes so I couldn't see where we were going. Now as I looked at the dark water before me, I had a strong assumption we were somewhere at the lake of Ba Sing Se. We hadn't traveled long enough in the bumpy carriage to be anywhere else.

"How do I know your buddy will really catch me? I don't want broken legs!"

"You will not be harmed. I've already assured you of that." He shoved me some more, and I found myself right at the hole looking down into darkness. The moon above did little to light the unknown realm below.

Taking in a heavy breath, I looked back up at the moon saying a small prayer, and then knelt down so that my butt was on the bridge and my legs dangled in the hole. Cold air flowed below me from the tunnels that ran under the lake. Scooting forward, I shut my eyes and dropped into the hole. I fell a good fifteen feet, and was caught by the Dai Li man below. He held me at the waist to support me from falling to the ground from my descent. Once I was safe from breaking my nose, the man pulled me up straight. As he did, I found myself in a hallway with stone walls and green glowing crystals. The man pulled me to the side, and a moment later Long Feng dropped beside us. Once he steadied himself, he grabbed my forearm and pulled me along.

It took me a moment for my vision to clear up, but when I could finally see I wished I was still blind. As our passage pulled us into the main hall, I found a whole group of Dai Li men walking up and down the corridor. The ceiling was high above us, and the hall stretched on for what felt like miles. As we walked on through the secret chambers of the Dai Li, I saw numerous wooden doors that led into different rooms. One door was open, and I saw a group of women inside staring off into blank space.

 **"** **BA SING SE IS A SAFE PLACE. SPEAKING OF THE WAR IS A CRIME AND PUNISHABLE."**

The women all chanted at the exact same time. I gasped and jerked from Long Feng to hold my place and watch the woman. The other man rushed to the door and shut it so I could no longer see in.

Shooting my eyes to Long Feng, I cried, "What have you done to those women?!"

He sneered. "That does not concern you." He grabbed my forearm again and jerked me along. "Don't you want to see your friend. Keep moving or I'll change my mind and lock you in another cell."

I felt my blood go cold as I walked away from the room behind me. Brainwash… It was definitely brainwash… That must've been what happened to Joo Dee. She was arrested or hired by the Dai Li, only to be brainwashed into service.

"Does the Earth King know about your evil acts?"

My words hung in the air for a moment as I was dragged behind the man who held a harsh grip on my arm.

He finally answered. "No. And I will ensure he never does."

"You're controlling the Earth King, aren't you? You're conspiring against him… You and your men are as villainous as the Fire Nation…"

The man stopped and suddenly shoved me against the wall beside us. I cringed as he pressed me to the stone with rage. His eyes were narrowed and glowed in the crystal light. "You will bite your tongue, or I will gag you!"

I scowled. My eyes burned with tears. "You're supposed to care about Ba Sing Se, but you're only digging their own grave by not allowing Aang to see the King!"

"That royal oaf knows nothing about running a kingdom or stopping a war." Long Feng cooled off and pulled me from the wall. He held firm to my arm though forcing me to look into his gaze. "I am doing this city justice by controlling that man with my council. You have not met him. He is no _king._ He is only an _imbecile_!" He inched towards me. "One more word out of you, and this walk will end quickly."

I shut my mouth by gritting my teeth. Rage filled me, but I kept silent not wanting to ruin my chance at seeing Appa. I understood what was happening finally though. Long Feng wanted to control the city. He was making the King more of a figurehead, while he maintained militaristic control. The Dai Li were the true government officials, and others were their puppets. The Earth Kingdom guards were all for show.

Eventually we went down another hall, up some stairs, around a corner, and towards a large wooden door. The other Dai Li agent with us walked towards the door and undid the latch. Pulling the door open, the Dai Li agent stepped aside to let us pass. As soon as the path was clear, I was shoved forward into the room before me.

As I stepped through the opening, I found myself in a large room with hay piled all around. A large trough for water settled to the side of the room. Chains clinked, and a groan was heard in the corner of the room. A very familiar groan.

Shooting my eyes to the corner of the large room where streams of light flooded in from small holes in the ceiling above, I saw the very friend I feared I would never see again. Jerking from Long Feng's grasp without another thought, I rushed over to the giant sky-bison I'd failed to save so long ago.

"APPA!"

He had been cowering in the corner of the room with his eyes shut, but when he heard my voice he opened his large eyes and looked towards me. He was attached by each ankle to a large metal cuff that was chained to the floor of the room. He let out a lighthearted groan, and stepped forward to meet me. My hands were still cuffed behind me, but I was able to rush to him and press myself into the fur of his neck. His every burden and fear seemed to lessen as he was finally with a familiar friend.

Tears fell down my cheeks and Appa's fur soaked them up as we were reunited at last. "I'm so sorry, boy… I tried so hard to save you… I'm going to get us out of here. I promise…" I spoke soft enough so that only Appa could hear me.

"Enjoy your time with the bison," Long Feng commented from across the room. "You two will be with one another for a very long time." Looking back, I watched as the man turned and headed to the entrance of the room. The other Dai Li agent had not entered, but stood on the other side.

"The Avatar will stop you! He'll figure out where I am and come save me and Appa!"

He stopped right before he left, and looked back at me with composure. "So you think... I already have a plan to make your friends leave the city. Your pal Jet has been sent on his mission. Your friends will be gone before you know it, and you will continue to be locked here for treason."

"Treason!" My blood boiled. "I have done nothing!"

He smirked. "I'm sure an official government document signed by me will cover that truth pretty well."

As soon as Long Feng stepped over the entrance, the door shut behind him and the latch was drawn, leaving Appa and I alone. I stared at the door in disbelief and rage. Narrowing my eyes, I shouted, "You won't win, Long Feng! Aang will find us! He won't give up until he has Appa again!"

The echo of my voice was the only response as Appa nudged me with his nose in reassurance. Turning towards him, I met his gaze with agony. "Don't worry Appa… I won't give up until we're both free… Zuko is probably looking for me already. We'll be out of here in no time. I promise I won't let you down again…"

Appa groaned and nudged me with his nose to let me know he didn't blame me. His kind gesture made me relax and restored my hope.


	37. Tides of Change

**New Chapter at last! Trying to get these done whenever I can. Hope you all enjoy. Heads up that there is a mild plot twist in this one.**

 **~Faithy Waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 37**

 **Third Person POV**

Staring at the note on the table, Sokka tapped on the wood in deep thought. Katara, Aang, Toph, and Momo were out hanging up flyers that had been professionally drawn by an artist in town. The flyers had pictures of Appa on them. As they were gone, Sokka was busy worrying about his twin sister. She had been gone for three days now, and he was beginning to grow concerned. The last time they were apart was when she was Zuko's prisoner. The note on the table, written in Crystal's small shakey handwriting kept Sokka on edge.

As Sokka stood from the table and began to pace the room in thought, he started to feel uncertainty within him. If Crystal were to really be staying at an inn for such a long period of time, she would've been out of money and back after the second night. Something was off about her quest to find Appa, and Sokka had a strong idea of where his sister truly was.

Sokka recalled Crystal telling everyone how Zuko and his uncle were headed to Ba Sing Se to seek refuge from the Fire Nation who were after them. As much as Sokka didn't want to believe the Fire Lord's banished son was in the city, he wouldn't be surprised.

A scowl fell over him as fury built through him.

 _Crystal… She must've found Zuko and Iroh in the city! She's probably with them!_

His fist tightened and he stomped over to the room he and Aang were staying in. Grabbing his sword from the corner of the small area, he tied it to his waist with a heavy breath. He prayed he was wrong about this. However, something deep within him was making him consider the possibility.

A knock on the door suddenly sounded, and he jumped at the interruption. Leaving the room, he walked across the main foyer up to the door. Sliding it open, he was both surprised and irritated to see Joo Dee. However, he noticed the woman who was constantly chaperoning them looked much more anxious than usual. She tried to keep a smile though as she extended a note towards Sokka.

"Hello Sokka. I am here to deliver this message to you from General Sung. I hope you find it helpful."

Without another word, she turned and left the porch headed back to the carriage at the end of the lawn. As she departed from the premises, Sokka turned and looked down at the note with puzzlement. Opening the rolled up scroll, he looked down at the writing and his eyes widened.

 _Your sister is in the lower ring in the seventh district. An apartment down by the Greenleaf Tea Shop. She is with a young man and is in danger. Burn this note. JD_

Horror sunk through him. Joo Dee had managed to risk her safety by getting an important note to Sokka. As he reread the woman's words over and over again, his eyes narrowed in fury.

 _Prince Zuko… She is definitely with Prince Zuko! If he hurts her, I'll kill him!_

Turning sharply, he rushed over to a candle in the room and shoved the scroll over the blazing flame. The parchment lit up and began to break down as the fire ate away the material turning it to ash. Once the note was destroyed, Sokka scribbled another note down on a piece of paper for the others.

 _Crystal needs me. I'll be back soon.- Sokka_

Placing the parchment down in the center of the table, Sokka grabbed his boomerang from where it had been placed on the same table and put it in the slot behind his back where it belonged.

As he turned to head towards the door, he said with narrowed eyes, "I'm coming, Crys."

 **Crystal POV**

 _Clang!_ I hit my cuff hard against the wall again, smashing my whole body back and having pain vibrate through me. As the cuff cracked some more, I smiled with satisfaction. For the last twelve hours I'd contemplated in my head the best option I could think of to get both Appa and I out of our predicament. After getting about two hours of sleep, I felt recharged as adrenaline pumped through me. Appa watched from where he was chained up as I rammed my back against the wall again, trying for the fifteenth time to break the cuffs that locked my hands behind me.

 _Clang! Crack!_

The stone cuff cracked again, and I gasped trying to push the pain away and catch my breath. Sweat beaded down my forehead as I tried to gather my strength for the next hit. Appa groaned from across the room, sensing that my actions were hurting me with each hit. I wouldn't give up though. I would keep fighting to escape these cuffs.

Two Dai Li agents had come into the cell about an hour ago to bring me some food and undo my cuffs long enough for me to use the washroom down the hall so I didn't stink too terribly. A female Dai Li agent stood guard inside with me to make sure I didn't bend any water or try to escape. While this happened, they had put fresh hay and water in Appa and I's prison. I suppose I was sort of glad Long Feng wasn't a complete monster who wanted me dead or smelling like a rotting corpse.

When the Dai Li returned me back to the cell, re-cuffed but clean, they left me once more telling me they would be back later in the day with dinner. Once they were gone, locking the door behind, I began my painful strategy of trying to escape the cuffs on my hand.

 _Clang!_

My next attempt cracked the cuff some more, but this time the stone wall scraped against my arm cutting my skin and causing a thin drop of blood to trickle down my arm. Cringing in pain, I hissed, "What I would do to be an earthbender right now!"

Appa groaned again, and he stepped forward only to be restrained by his cuffs. Looking over at him, I saw he was looking at me with anxious eyes.

Sighing, I tried to collect myself and said softly, "Don't worry Appa… I'm not giving up." Looking up at the holes in the ceiling above, I tried to figure out my next steps once I did finally manage to break the cuffs. I knew first I would use water from the trough to break off Appa's cuffs. Then I would have to figure out a way to break a hole through the ceiling so Appa could fly us out. As I thought over the complicated plan before me, I asked Appa, "You're not secretly an earthbender are you?"

Appa groaned to answer, and I breathed heavily. "It was worth a shot."

 **Zuko POV**

Pacing back and forth across the apartment floor, I contemplated options in my head. I had to come up with a plan before I was rash and burned every Dai Li agent I saw. Uncle tried to calm me down as I moved back and forth, offering me some tea to clear my mind. I ignored him, grabbing my hair in frustration.

"This is my fault! I shouldn't have left her in such a crowded place! What was I thinking?!"

I paced past Uncle again, pressing my hands over my face to shield out the light that tried to distract my thoughts.

"You couldn't have known this would happen, Prince Zuko. There were no signs the Dai Li were after her." Uncle grabbed my arm to stop me, and I turned to him in shock. "There's one thing we can do, and that's calm down and think logically."

"Think logically! We have no clue where the Dai Li have taken her! It's already been twelve hours Uncle! She could be out of the city by now for all we know!"

Iroh shook his head. "I doubt the Dai Li have removed her from the city. They are most likely using her for their own gain, so they'll want her close by in case the Avatar and his friends try anything."

I let out a heavy breath, trying to calm myself. I knew Uncle was right. I had to keep calm and think rationally. If I panicked too much I would never find her.

"Here's what I propose we do… And I know you will not agree with me… But I recommend we get word to her family that she has been apprehended by the Dai Li. They will be able to convince the Dai Li to release her."

I scowled. "And then sit and wait! No! I'm going to find her and bring her back! Her family clearly hasn't been successful during their time in Ba Sing Se, so why would I leave it up to them!"

Ripping from his hold on my arm, I walked over to the chest in the room where I kept my belongings. Yanking the lid up, I rummaged through my small collection for the wooden object I hadn't willed myself to hold in weeks. Jerking out my Blue Spirit mask, I turned towards Uncle with narrowed eyes.

"I will not sit by and wait! I'm going to go find one of those bastards and get the information I need! I won't rest until I get her back!"

Turning on my heel, I headed over to the table where my broadswords sat flat on top. Picking them up, I flung them over my shoulders and prepared to head out.

"Prince Zuko," Uncle tried again. "You are being too rash! You must calm yourself and rethink this strategy. If you are caught, you'll just end up locked up right beside her!"

I headed towards the door. "That's a risk I'm willing to take!" My hand reached for the latch so I could make my exit. However, I didn't even touch the wood when a knock on the door sounded from behind. I stopped in my step, shocked by the sudden visitor. We'd never had a visitor before during our time in the city.

Hesitantly, I undid the latch of the door and then opened it to see who could be visiting at such an hour. The door had just opened for a single second, and in the split of an eye a body crashed into me slamming the both of us down on the floor. My body hit the wood hard as the strong masculine frame shoved me down in fury. The next thing I knew, the sharp edge of a sword hovered over my neck.

Looking at the intruder in a slight daze, I met piercing blue eyes that I'd seen only glimpses of in the past.

"Where is she?!"

My eyes widened as I took in the short ponytail, water tribe clothing, and tight gritted teeth.

Iroh suddenly spoke from across the room as I was shoved harder against the floor. "Well… I did not know we were expecting a guest… Calm down young man… We can discuss this civilly."

Staring into the irate eyes of the young Water Tribe warrior, I felt his cool blade tap onto my skin gentle enough not to break through.

"Answer me! I know she's been with you two! I'm not an idiot! I got word from your _tea_ _boss_ that she's been here!"

Narrowing my eyes, I jerked my knee up and managed to shove him off with my foot. He fell back on his butt dropping his sword in the process. Standing up, I kicked his sword to the side of the room and yanked my own out pointing my curved blade at his neck. He didn't even flinch as his eyes burned into my own with hatred.

"You definitely have your sister's spirit," I muttered. "So I know you have her common sense too." Pulling my sword back, I knelt in front of him sticking my sword into the floor beside me and using it to stabilize me. "Since you found us, the least you can do is listen to me before you attack again."

"Why the spirits would I listen to the Fire Lord's son?!"

I leaned forward so he could hear me clearly. "Because _your_ sister needs us."

His rage slowly dissipated as he took in my words. "What…" His voice broke. "What do you mean? Where is she?!"

I frowned as concern fell over me once more. "She's not here…" I stood straight again and sheathed my sword back to the place behind me. "The Dai Li arrested her a few hours ago… Since you're here, I could actually use your help to get her back…"

He looked at me with surprise. I held my hand down towards him.

"What do you say, Sokka?"

He looked at my hand, and then up at me.

"Why should I trust _anything_ you say? How do I know this isn't some sort of trick?! Some sort of lie?!"

My eyes narrowed. Irritated by his accusation, I jerked my hand back and snapped, "I would never lie about Crystal being in danger!"

My tone stumped him. He fell silent in shock.

"You and your other sister may not believe this, but I care about her! Whether you like it or not I love Crys and she loves me! So are you going to help me get her back from those bastards or not?!"

He stared at me for a moment, stunned by the confession I just gave him. Then rage filled him again, but this time it was directed towards another. "So its true then…" He paused as more fury filled him. "The Dai Li… _They took_ my sister?"

I nodded, extending my hand out once again.

He sat up and his fists tightened. Staring at my hand, he thought it over for a moment. Then with a deep breath, he reached his hand forward and took my grasp. Our eyes bore into one another as I helped him up.

Once he was to his feet, he tore his hand from my own as if I burned him. He brushed himself off, and walked over picking up his sword. Sheathing the weapon once more, he said, "We're going to need the rest of the group then."

His words surprised me. "What? Why?"

Walking back over, he crossed his arms. "First, I don't completely trust you so I'd rather have numbers on my side in case you try something stupid. And second, if the Dai Li really have her then we may need an earthbender, and Toph and Aang are pretty handy in that area."

Uncertainty fell over me. I'd always been the one targeting the group. I was certain they wouldn't be thrilled about me being so near to them.

Sokka noticed my tense posture. He smirked. "What's wrong _Prince_ Zuko? Scared of the Avatar?"

My mind trailed back to what the Avatar had said to me a long time ago, when I saved him from Zhao's fortress.

 _"_ _Sokka and Katara are like family to me, and that means Crystal is too! If I found out again that she's been hurt under your care, I won't be as forgiving!"_

I cringed at the thought of the young Avatar's sincerity. He was going to kill me when he found out Crystal was captured under my watch.

"No!" I lied. "Of course not!"

He looked over at Iroh who had stood back and watched the scene with worry. "What about you? Are you coming too?"

Uncle shook his head. "I'll wait here. It's best you young one's do this on your own."

Sokka nodded. He told me to wait here as he went to get the others. He told me they were most likely back at the house in the Upper Ring, and seeing as I didn't have a pass to get there I would have to wait.

As he was gone, I paced the room in complete disbelief. I was seriously about to work with the Avatar and his friends. What was happening to me? For years I'd been seeking the Avatar to hunt him down and return home. However, in a little while I would be working with the Avatar as if the last three years meant nothing. I knew why this change had occurred though. My heart was directed on another path…

How could this happen? How could one girl change my whole life goal? If Fire Lord Sozin truly was my great-grandfather, why was I so uncertain about capturing the Avatar all of the sudden? Didn't I want to restore my honor? Didn't I want to go home?

"Prince Zuko… I know you are greatly conflicted about this," Iroh suddenly spoke. He walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder to stop me in my step. "I need to show you something… You need to understand why you're so confused right now about the path you should take."

Looking at him puzzled, I asked, "What are you talking about?"

He nudged me over to the table where tea was waiting. As I hesitantly sat down, he pulled something from his sleeve once he sat across from me. "I've been saving this for years, waiting for the right moment to give it to you. It's a letter from your mother. She asked me to give it to you when you were old enough to understand. I think that time has finally come."

He handed over the rolled up, worn out parchment to me.

"Before you read this, remember one thing… You are still _Prince_ Zuko of the Fire Nation. One day you will find your way to the throne, and I know you will be an even greater ruler than your ancestors before you."

His words stunned me. Shakily, I opened the letter and stared down at the familiar writing of my mother whom I hadn't seen in years.

 _My dear son,_

 _If you are reading this, then you have grown into the wise young man I knew you'd become. I'm so sorry for not being there to protect you, but the evils of this palace keep me from your arms. I am limited on time, so I will be brief. You should know the history of your lineage, for I will not be there to tell you. To begin my tale, I was not born a nobleman's daughter. I grew up in the Fire Nation village of Hira'a, being the daughter to your grandparents Jinzuk and Rina. When I turned twenty-one, your father came to my village and informed me of a prophecy made by the Fire Sages that ensured a powerful lineage of rulers would come forth from a marital union between a descendant of Avatar Roku and Ozai's own bloodline. Ozai proposed to me that same day, and I agreed to marry him knowing I had no other choice._

 _I write all of this to you to inform you, my son, that the prophecy is true. My mother Rina was Avatar Roku's daughter, making you his great-grandson. You are a descendant of both Avatar Roku and Fire Lord Sozin, two men who were once friends but broke apart once they sought different paths. Thus, two paths lay before you, Zuko, but that does not mean you have to choose one. In time, I pray you find both paths will intersect in which you can become the powerful ruler I believe you will be, and also restore harmony to the world like your great-grandfather Avatar Roku attempted to do before you. You are destined for greatness Prince Zuko, and I know you will make me proud. Always follow your heart. Never let another make you into someone else. Be the son I know you truly are._

 _I love you with all my heart, my son. Don't ever forget who you are._

 _Your mother,_

 _Ursa_

My tears stained the parchment as I looked over the words again. Iroh remained silent as the truth sunk deep within me. My heart pounded painfully.

I finally understood though. I finally knew why I was so conflicted over capturing the Avatar and betraying the woman I loved. It all was clear to me at last. There was good in me… I wasn't just the descendant of a ruthless and bloodthirsty ruler. I was the descendent of a great man who sought to bring peace to the world.

For years I'd thought the only way to restore my honor was to follow in the footsteps of my great-grandfather Sozin, grandfather Azulon, and father Ozai. However, a new path opened before me as I felt the blood of Avatar Roku flow through me.

 _"_ _There are other ways to earn honor, my nephew. One way is doing the right thing…"_

Looking at my uncle, I asked softly, "You knew about this…?"

He nodded. "Yes… I was waiting for the right moment…" He met my eyes. "It's time to choose, Prince Zuko."

 **Crystal POV**

"Alright Appa," I said softly. "I trust you…" Shutting my eyes, I stretched my arms back and prayed. "Gentle."

Appa's hot breath brushed against my skin as he prepared to bite down. Shutting my eyes tighter, I prayed that this would work. I'd weakened the cuff enough that there were cracks all through the stone. My arms were scratched up and bruised from smacking against the wall repetitively. One more strong hit around the stone cuff, and I knew my wrists would be free. Appa's bite was the perfect tool to escape.

"On three… One… Two-"

Before I finished, Appa bit down on the cuff and the stone cracked from the pressure of his giant teeth. As the stone cracked, I felt my hands break apart from one another. Jerking my hands in front of me, I saw the cuff was broken and I was free at last.

Beaming with delight, I turned and threw my arms across Appa's neck with thrill. Pressing my face into his fur, I commented, "Good job boy!"

Appa groaned with pride.

Turning away from him, I felt determined. "Alright. Time to put the plan into action. First thing's first… Let's get you out of these cuffs."

Jerking my hand forward, I pulled the settled liquid out of the trough it was in and flowed the water over to Appa and I. Glancing down at the chains that held Appa prisoner, I examined their design to contemplate the best part I could hit that would actually break.

"Alright Appa. Pull the cuff tight," I told him, and then gestured what I meant by moving my right foot to the left.

Appa caught on to my plan, and jerked the chain so that there was enough tension in the metal to form a weak point. Staring at the spot where the chain link attached to the cuff, I knew the exact place I needed to hit was that connection. If I did so, the cuff would be released and drop from Appa's ankle. Taking in a deep breath, I thought back to the day we took down the giant drill Azula was using to break through the city. All I had to do was cut a small chain, which would be ten times easier than large metal braces.

"Let's get out of here, Appa."

Shooting the water forward, I guided it swiftly in a thin line straight against the connecting point of Appa's cuffs. The water sliced through, and the chain snapped off as the link broke in half. As soon as one of Appa's six legs were free, I felt a sudden jolt of hope. We were going to escape! I was going to save Appa!

Quickly I moved to the next link, and Appa repeated his motion of pulling the chain tight. Jerking my water back in the air, I once again shot the stream straight down at the chain's weak point. The water sliced through like a breeze, and the chain broke off releasing the cuff from Appa's ankle like before. Four more to go!

I repeated my tactic over and over, working swiftly to break each chain. It seemed like the longest five minutes of my life, but with one last fling of my water at the final cuff, Appa was free at last. He felt his freedom from the restraints as soon as I released him from his last, and with delight he jumped up and floated in the air for a brief second. Landing once more, he nudged me with his nose to thank me for my help. I pat him on the nose, saying, "It's not over yet… We still have to break through the roof above."

Turning, I rushed back to the water trough and grabbed some more liquid. The weight of the particles was a challenge, but I managed to hold them all in the air. Looking up at the roof above, I saw the sunlight beaming down and knew we were both so close to freedom. Hardening the water into ice, I stepped in the middle of the room and prepared to fire up at the ceiling above. Just as I thrust my hand up and the ice shot above me towards the hard roof, something heavy and firm hit me from behind in the back.

The wind was knocked out of me, and I landed hard on the stone floor. My hands had barely shot out in enough time to block my face from the fall. My skin burned from scraping against the rocky surface, and my back ached from the hard boulder that was flung at me. My ice crashed a few feet away and broke in half. Through blurred vision, I could see Appa rushing toward me. He let out a groan however as his feet were suddenly encased in earth. As he struggled from his new restraints, a figure stepped in front of me blocking me from Appa.

"I suppose I underestimated you," Long Feng hissed with agitation. "Barely in here a day, and you've already almost escaped."

I tried to recover and get up, but the movement sent a spasm of sharp pins and needles through my spine. Gasping in pain, I fell back to the earth gritting my teeth to keep from crying.

"Pick her up!"

At Long Feng's order, two Dai Li officials got beside me and grabbed each of my arms. They pulled me up, and the movement caused me to gasp again from the pain that shot through me as gravity tried to pull me down. Appa growled from behind Long Feng, seeing he had hurt me. The heartless man looked back at Appa, snapping, "You're lucky a rock to the back is all she got!"

"Yo-you won't get away… with this…" I tried to speak as sweat beaded down my forehead from both pain and panic.

Long Feng stepped forward and grabbed my chin forcing me to look up at his blurred face. "You surprised me I have to admit. I never imagined you'd be able to break your own cuffs. You'll have to give me the details of your miraculous escape."

Finding my voice, I muttered, "You didn't make it challenging."

He released me, and then looked at the man to my right. "Take her to the East Wing. Make sure there's no water left in the room with her."

The men holding me up began to turn me away from Long Feng and Appa. I tried to pull against them despite the pain. Appa groaned from behind and pounded his tail against the ground attempting to use air to break from his restraints.

Think! Think! Looking around, I saw the ice that had shattered in many pieces. With a quick kick to my left, I hit the Dai Li officer in the ankle. His thin shoes weren't enough to save his ankle bone from impact, and he yelped in pain as I smacked him hard with my boot. The pain caused him to release my arm, and as he did, I used my free hand to grab the shattered ice and fling it towards the other Dai Li agent. One of the large pieces hit him in the head and caused him to release his grip as well.

Turning quickly, I saw Long Feng was disappointed with his men and irritated by my defiance. He shot his hands forward, and a crack formed in the floor streaming towards me. Without hesitation, I darted to the side to avoid the opening in the earth and grabbed more ice to shoot sharp shards at him. He threw up a wall of stone to block my attack, and then dropped it swiftly once the last of my ice was blocked. As soon as he dropped the barrier, he shot his hand forward and the ground shifted beneath me. Stumbling as my balance was thrown off, I fell back to the earth and blocked my fall with my palms.

Trying to get up quickly, I was stopped as my hands were encased in earth. Long Feng stomped over to me as I tried to pull my hands out of the sharp earth that had surrounded them. He grabbed my hair, and the earth released me. Yanking me back up by my roots, I quickly followed his force so he wouldn't rip my hair out. As soon as I was back to my feet, he released my hair and grabbed both of my hands. The Dai Li officers had composed themselves from my attack, and came back over. They managed to jerk my hands behind my back and cuff me with stone again.

As they shoved me along once more, I looked back at Long Feng with rage. "You're going to pay for this Long Feng!"

"Get her to the cell! And get some new chains for this beast as well," Long Feng ordered from behind.

Looking back at Appa, my eyes blurred with tears as he continued to struggle in his own restraints. He met my gaze and groaned after me. I tried one last pull, shouting to him, "I'll get us out of here, Appa! I promise!"

The Dai Li officials shoved me through the doorway that they had previously blocked with a stone wall. As I was shoved into the dark hall, I looked back at Appa one last time with despair. He groaned loudly, but the rock wall shot up blocking his sound and separated us once more.

 **Third Person POV**

Katara grabbed Sokka's shoulder with uncertainty as he took a step towards the faded wooden door. "Are you sure about this?"

Momo chattered from Aang's shoulder with his own uncertainty, while Aang gripped his staff tight prepared for an ambush. Toph stood to the back of the group with her arms crossed. Jet, Longshot, and Smellerbee stood across the dusty street not looking one bit thrilled by this turn of events.

In the last hour Sokka had gone to return to the Upper Ring to tell the others about Crystal, but found them crowded together by the entrance that led into the Middle Ring. When he asked what was going on, he was astounded to see Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot standing with the group. Katara explained to him that they had run into Jet while they were hanging up flyers, who had given them a false lead to Appa. They discovered only shortly after speaking to Jet that he'd been brainwashed by the Dai Li, because Longshot and Smellerbee told them Jet had gotten arrested and he had argued against their claim. After Katara healed his head with water, he told them about Lake Logai, and they were just about to head to the Upper Ring to wait for Sokka to get back with Crystal.

Sokka had absorbed all the information he'd been given, and then told them about his own experience. When he explained to them about Zuko wanting to work with them to get Crystal back, the whole group was bewildered. Jet, Longshot, and Smellerbee argued against working with the enemy. Jet even spat about the fight he and Zuko got into which resulted in his arrest. Katara snapped back that he was the one at fault for that.

"I'm not working with the Fire Lord's son!"

Toph was irritated and spat at Jet. "No one said you have to come! You're brains all twisted anyway!"

Jet scoffed. "Like you can do this without me. I remember the way to Appa in that place. We walked right by his cell when I was taken there." He crossed his arms. "I don't see why we need that firebending beast to help us is all."

Sokka answered. "Because he cares about Crys… And the only thing I want right now is to get my sister away from Long Feng and his creepy brainwashing. Who knows what they're doing to her…"

Katara, Aang and Toph seemed to weigh out the pros and cons.

"We could use the extra help I guess…" Aang spoke finally. "We don't know how many Dai Li are at this secret hide out."

"And Crystal seems to really trust him," Katara muttered. "I guess we can give it a shot."

Toph nodded. "Yeah. If prince boy tries anything we can just bury him. From what you all tell me he isn't that strategic at capturing Aang anyway."

Now they were all in front of the apartment Zuko and Iroh were staying in, and their confidence began to waver as memories of everything Zuko had done in the past came flooding back.

"Are you sure about this? Can we really trust him…?"

Sokka grabbed Katara's hand from his shoulder and looked at her with pain. "The only thing I'm sure about at this moment is getting our sister back. Zuko wants to help… As much as I dislike him, I can see he does care about her enough to put the chase aside."

Aang nodded. "He's not all that bad… He did save me from Zhao that day I went to find a cure for you two after the storm… I think there's more to Zuko than we realize. And I'm always one for giving people second chances."

"He's had more than enough chances," Katara muttered. Then she sighed, dropping her hand and stepping back. Giving a small nod, she responded, "Whatever... Let's just get our sister back."

Sokka turned back to the door and gave a knock. Only a moment later, the door opened and Iroh smiled weakly at the group. "Hello. Welcome everyone. Although I wish your visit was under better circumstances than this. Please come i-" Iroh stopped when he saw Jet and his posse leaning against the building across the street. "Oh… Err… Friends of yours?"

Sokka glanced back at the Freedom Fighters, and then at Iroh with understanding. "Don't worry… Jet and his friends have promised to behave."

Iroh nodded. "Alright… That's nice to hear." He stepped aside then and gestured for the group to enter. "It is definitely a small world."

The group headed in, while Jet and his friends stayed outside glaring into the shadow of the apartment. As Katara, Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Momo entered the small one room apartment, they looked around in curiosity at the small set up. Zuko leaned against the wall keeping his eyes to the floor as the group all huddled in not even ten feet away from him. His broadswords were tied to his back, and he was ready to move out.

A great tension filled the air as the group reunited with the one person who had been chasing them for months. Katara held the cap of her waterskin ready to attack if she had to, while Sokka kept his hand on the hilt of his water tribe sword. Toph kept her feet firm to the ground listening to everyone's heartbeats. Aang took in a deep breath and stepped forward breaking the distance and silence.

"Sokka told us what happened." He stood only four feet from the very prince that had spent three years trying to capture him. "If you promise not to try and capture me, then we'll let you work with us."

Zuko looked up from where he'd been staring, and the Avatar was surprised by the change he saw in the prince. Not only was his hair much longer, but the cold hearted stare Aang had come to know over the months was gone. In place of it was worry and concern mixed with determination.

"If I wanted to capture you I would've already…" His voice was soft but sincere. "Besides, that's not my mission anymore."

Toph was amazed when she found he was fullheartedly telling the truth. "He's not lying… Princess changed your heart that much?"

Zuko looked back at Toph, the member of the group he'd only briefly seen back at the deserted ghost town. Crystal had told him a little about Toph and her tomboy personality. He shook his head. "No… I've finally had a moment of clarity." He looked over at Aang, and smiled weakly. "Turns out I've been chasing you for all the wrong reasons these last few months."

Everyone was amazed by Zuko's reveal.

Aang was curious. "What do you mean?"

He let out a deep breath, prepared to reveal the very fact he'd just learned only moments before. "Looks like you and I are connected through my great grandfather."

Katara scoffed. "Of course you two are! Your great grandfather started this war which caused the whole Air Nation to be wiped out!"

Zuko wasn't surprised by Katara's verbal attack. He deserved it after knocking her unconscious so long ago at the North Pole. He remained composed. "No… Not that great grandfather…"

Aang's grip on his staff loosened. Momo's big eyes stared over at a bowl of fruit uninterested in the conversation. Iroh noticed and walked over taking a fruit out of the bowl and handing it over to the flying-lemur. Momo took it and began to nibble with thrill. Sokka was amazed that they were actually having a full blown conversation with the Fire Nation prince and there was no fighting yet. Toph continued to evaluate Zuko for any sign of lying, but she found he was being completely honest.

"Alright… Explain," Aang encouraged.

Zuko stepped away from the wall and tried to regain his confidence. "My great-grandfather on my mom's side was Avatar Roku…" A pause fell over the room. Zuko swallowed, and then spoke again. "That's why my mom was forced to marry Ozai… I'm a direct descendant of the Avatar before you."

The whole group dropped their jaws in shock at this big reveal. Toph commented with amazement, "The dude's not lying."

Aang looked at Zuko now seeing bits and pieces of facial features that resembled Avatar Roku.

"Wow…" Aang looked over at Iroh, who nodded to confirm the facts as well. Glancing back at the prince who was once his enemy, he asked, "When did you find this out?"

Zuko grimaced. "Literally two hours ago." He looked over at his uncle briefly who gave him an encouraging smile, and then let out a heavy sigh looking back to the floor. "You all don't have any reason to trust me… I know I don't deserve that. But I finally understand some things that I've been fighting with for the last few months. I always thought I was born to be a great leader, but now I see the truth. Being an outlaw and living in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se has helped me understand the true evils of this war… Plus, this war has caused me pain as well."

Zuko looked back up at the group praying they would see his sincerity.

"I don't want to be your enemy anymore," he said. "I want to make my great grandfather proud." He suddenly moved to the floor and got on his knees. Bowing his head to Aang with great humility, he stated, "Please accept my apology Avatar for any wrong I have done to you in the past."

Aang didn't know what to say as he stared down at Zuko with complete bewilderment. He registered the facts Zuko had just given him, and then let out a deep sigh. Crouching down in front of Zuko, Aang used his staff to hold him steady.

"You know, Zuko… When Crystal told us that she was in love with you, none of us could understand why. She kept trying to convince us all that you have good in you and she believed you could change. There were moments during these last few months where I saw a small glimpse of this… You saved me from Zhao… You were devastated when your Uncle was injured in the desert… And the way you cared for Crystal over the months she was with you also showed me that…" He paused, shutting his eyes for a brief moment. Then he slowly stood up and looked down at Zuko with a warm smile. "I don't need Crystal to tell me anymore." Holding out his hand towards the prince below him, he said, "I forgive you Prince Zuko. I can't speak for the rest of the group, but I'm willing to start over."

Zuko looked at the Avatar's hand with both bewilderment and utter relief. Smiling, he took it to give a shake. Instead, Aang tugged his arm urging him to get up off the floor. Once Zuko was back to his feet, Aang did shake his hand while stating, "Now that we're no longer enemies, you can call me Aang."

He was surprised, but nodded.

Iroh walked over to the group then, seeing the tension was finally gone. "You all should head out." He handed a parchment to Sokka, who took it and looked at it with question. "I managed to get the location of the hideout's entrance from a friend. Your sky-bison is there as well. They are holding them in separate locations below the lake." Aang's eyes widened at the thought of Appa. "You all be careful. Once you have Crystal and your animal companion safe, come back for some tea."

Sokka was astonished by the help Iroh had just given them all. He gave a thanks in gratitude, and then looked over at the others. "Alright... Let's move out. When we get to the hideout we'll split up. Aang and Katara can go with the Freedom Fighters to look for Appa. Zuko, Toph, and I will go look for Crystal. That way both groups have an earthbender in case any rocks need to be moved."

Toph took a few steps towards Zuko then, and gave him a punch in the shoulder. He yelped and rubbed the spot with shock. "What was that for?"

She smirked. "Your initiation into the group."

Katara scowled. "No one said he's in the group, Toph."

Aang looked back at Katara. "Actually… I say he's in the group." She went to protest, but Aang cut her off. "I mean, he and your sister have been together for the past few days anyway. If we keep him out of the group, Crys will just keep running off. Plus, I need a firebending teacher, and Zuko is a perfect match!"

Toph smirked. "Twinkletoes has a point there. Way to think ahead!"

Katara gave a heavy sigh of defeat. "Fine…" She looked at Zuko with suspicion. "But I'm keeping my eyes on you."

He grimaced at her distrust, but understood. If anyone in the group would be the hardest to persuade, it would definitely be the girl Zuko had fought with at the North Pole.

"Come on," Sokka suddenly urged. "We're wasting too much time."

 **Crystal POV**

Smashing my palm against the stone wall, I shouted with fury, "Let me out of here!" The green crystals that lit up my enclosed prison barely gave me comfort. There were two vents above me providing me with air but no sunlight. There was a chamber pot and sleeping mat in the room I was in as well. I could hear the steps of agents walking up and down the hall through the thin wall, and there was an occasional conversation. Other than that, I was alone.

Smacking the wall once more, I felt my body shake as I began to realize the very thing I'd been trying to avoid. There was no escape this time. I was trapped.

Turning, I leaned back against the wall and slid down. Sitting, I pulled my knees close and pressed my face into the fabric of my dress. Tears soaked into the material as fear and uncertainty overcame me. A homesickness fell over me as I thought about better times. My Gran Gran… My mom… My brother and sister… Even my dad…

 _"_ _Sing to us, Crys," Gran Gran begged, passing a plate of fish to my younger second-cousin Ulana. "We'd love to hear a song."_

 _The women, children, and elders that gathered around our small circle all agreed. It was the night of the fullmoon, and every time there was one we'd have a dinner together with everyone in the tribe. Since the men had gone off to battle, the circle was usually small._

 _Sitting by my brother who chewed his fish viciously, I asked, "Sing what?"_

 _Katara leaned over to me and whispered, "What about mom's favorite song?"_

 _I thought it over for a moment, and then nodded. Standing, I made my way to the center of the circle by the roaring fire and shut my eyes. Taking in a deep breath, I sang out the tune I knew well._

 _"_ _The moon slowly rises over the waves,_

 _And its light reflects softly on the shimmering sea._

 _The comfort of its presence makes all men brave,_

 _And the soft embracing touch gives the world beauty._

 _While day is full of labor, trials, and pain,_

 _The white glow of night brings rest and peace._

 _As the moon hovers above in all its reign,_

 _The shine of hope provides release…"_

My voice echoed through the cell as I cut off the song I'd softly been singing. Staring at the bare wall across from me, I pictured the moon and the beauty of it on the sea. It felt like so long since I'd stared at that familiar sight from my igloo home. I missed the South Pole more than ever as my concrete prison restrained me.

 _"_ _Why do you like that song so much, mommy?" Sitting beside my mother, I helped her weave a basket as she stopped humming the tune she loved._

 _Looking over at my eight year old self, she smiled with love and answered, "The song gives me strength. It reminds me that we are not alone in this time of pain and war… The moon is a source of beauty and life that gives our waterbenders up north the ability to fight the enemy. As long as the moon shines, I'll always have hope that the war will end and we will all be safe."_

 _I nodded taking this in. Then I brushed my boot in the snow. "Mommy… Do you think the Avatar will ever return and save us? I heard the elders talking about him earlier..."_

 _My mom lowered her basket in thought. "I don't know, sweetie… He hasn't been seen for a hundred years." She brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear. "But I'm always open to the possibility."_

 _I smiled as thoughts rushed through my mind. "I think when I grow up, mom, I'm going to become a great warrior like daddy and help the Avatar defeat the evil firebenders!"_

 _My mom was stunned, and then smiled weakly. "You have a brave heart, Crystal. Just remember that with bravery you also must be wise." She cupped my cheek. "I do know you have the strength in you though. If you believe in yourself, you can do anything you put your mind to."_

The wall suddenly shook from behind me, and I jumped up backing away from the agent who stood at the new opening to my prison. He held in his hands a tray of dry food, and had a tightly capped flask of water on the flat surface. Another agent stepped around him and came towards me with metal cuffs.

"Turn around," he ordered.

Staring at the cuffs, I felt sudden determination course through me. My mother's words renewed my strength and courage. I knew I had to try again while I had the chance. Turning around, I held my hands behind me. As the man walked forward to cuff me, I took my chance. Backing up quickly, I smashed my body into the agent and we both fell back. The other agent still held the tray, and as I scrambled to my feet climbing over the knocked down man beneath me, the man with food gasped dropping the tray. As he was distracted, I rammed my body into him and he was shoved back as well. He tripped over the tray's contents and landed on his butt. As both men were down, I took my opportunity and darted down the hall.

"HEY! STOP!"

Ignoring the shouts from the Dai Li, I rushed down a hall and turned on another. My boots hit the stone hard, and my heart pounded in my ears, but I knew I had to keep moving. The hall stretched far, and I passed numerous doors that held unknown contents. I knew I had to find the passage that went back to Appa, and I retraced the steps that I'd been dragged through only an hour before.

Just as I turned the corner, I hit someone close to my height and we both fell back from the impact. My body vibrated in pain, but I looked across from me at the body I'd collided with. Joo Dee stared at me with surprise, and started to question me. I quickly tried to get to my feet, saying, "You! You have to get me back to Appa!"

She stood slowly, and then brushed off her tan dress. She gave me her plastered smile then, and her dilated eyes said it all. She was still brainwashed.

"Miss Crystal… Please don't be rash. The Dai Li only want to help."

I narrowed my eyes, but at that point I heard the steps of the Dai Li I'd left behind and knew I had to move along. Shoving past Joo Dee, I heard her shout after me as if her calls would slow me down. They only sped me up as I turned down another hall.

A wooden door to my right caught my attention, and I looked back down the hall to see no one was there. Taking my chance, I rushed to the door and yanked the latch to pull it open. Then I slid inside quickly and closed it behind me. As I took a moment to catch my breath, I shut my eyes trying to quiet myself so no one would hear me if they passed. Footsteps rushed by the door only a moment later, and then there was silence.

Relief fell over me as I found myself safe from my pursuers. Opening my eyes, I saw the room I was in for the first time. There were stone shelves all around me with multiple parchments and scrolls. Dai Li outfits were folded on one shelf, with there funky circular hats stacked neatly. The glow of green crystals gave the stone room an emerald tint. Stepping around the room, I decided to look for a map of some kind. There were so many halls and chambers, that I knew I had to find my way back to Appa wisely instead of aimlessly.

Starting to sift through the documents, I found some of them had names while others had numbers. I wasn't sure what any of it meant, but I kept searching knowing there had to be something that could help. As I moved to another shelf, I was shocked when I picked up a parchment that unrolled to reveal a letter from King Bumi.

Aang had told me about King Bumi and how he was a friend from his past. As I tried to read the contents of the letter, I was horrified that Long Feng had kept such information from Earth King Kuei.

 _Hey King Kuei,_

 _Friendly note. Omashu is falling. Not like leaves in fall but like boulders down a cliff! Could use some guys with rocks and spears. Your pappy and I were pals, so I know he'd be happy to help. Pretty urgent._

 _Your Omashu pal,_

 _King Bumi_

My eyes were wide as I reread the contents. Long Feng had known about the Fire Nation taking over Omashu and did nothing to help. How many other Earth Kingdom villages sent out pleas and were ignored?

The door suddenly opened, and I panicked backing quickly to the shadow of the room between two shelves. As I peaked around the shelf I stood behind, I saw Long Feng step in looking furious. "I don't care! She knows too much! Find her!" He turned and slammed door shut, leaving the two of us together alone. My heart thudded painfully as panic fell over me. Glancing around, I saw an Earth Kingdom sword on the shelf across from me. If I could reach it, I would have some source of defense at least. I'd never used a sword before, but I was willing to let myself learn quickly.

"Fools! They can't even babysit a brat for five minutes!" Long Feng's frustration echoed through the room as he began to search one of the shelves for a parchment he needed. As the sound of scrolls rolling echoed through my ears, I stared at the sword five feet away. I knew I had to be quick.

The rolling scrolls stopped though, and I went still. I listened and waited. The door opened and then slammed closed again. Long Feng's footsteps faded as he headed away from the room. My panic released, and I let out a deep sigh of relief. Taking a step slowly out of my hiding spot, I reached for the sword and grabbed its hilt firmly. Pulling it off the shelf, I looked down at the steel blade with determination.

I wasn't giving up. I had proof to show the Earth King that Long Feng truly was evil. With the letter in my other hand, I took in a heavy breath and headed towards the door.

* * *

 **So, surprise! Zuko's joined the group a little earlier than in the actual show. This does mean the plot will change slightly from here on out. I do plan to keep following the episodes from the series, but they will have some changes.**

 **Until next time!**


	38. The Rescue

**Hey readers! This chapter is a little shorter than most, but I didn't want to make you all wait forever for an update. I'm working on the next chapter whenever I can. Thanks for the constant reviews and support.**

 **Faithy Waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 38**

Inching around the corner, I gripped the metal of my stolen blade hard as I maneuvered through the dark halls within the Dai Li's headquarters. I kept trying to convince myself I knew where I was, but honestly I was lost. The halls that seemed endless were all the same, and each door I passed looked like the door Appa could possibly be behind. Interestingly, I hadn't crossed paths with a Dai Li agent since I'd left the room where Long Feng almost caught me. Part of me felt wary about the lack of security, while the other side of me wanted it to be a good sign that I would find Appa and escape.

Just as I went towards another corner, a door swung open and a man stepped out carrying a small wooden bin. The man before me did not appear to have the traditional Dai Li clothing, and actually looked like a normal citizen from the lower ring. He appeared to be in his late twenties and had messy black hair with dark brown eyes. He was shocked when he saw me, and went to speak. Without hesitation, I pointed my sword at his chest and tried to find a firm tone. "Quiet!"

He shut his mouth and dropped the box in his hand. The package broke open and small metal pieces fell out. Holding his hands up in surrender, he stated desperately, "Don't… Please."

Sweat formed on my forehead as my arms shook. I didn't want to hurt him, but I also didn't want him alerting the Dai Li. "Are you a Dai Li agent?"

He shook his head drastically. "I'm just one of their messengers. I swear!"

From his appearance I believed him. I stayed alert though, and asked, "Do you know where they're keeping the Avatar's bison?"

He was puzzled by my question, and shook his head. "No. I don't. I've never heard anything about a bison or the Avatar." The look of terror in his eyes, and the sincerity in his tone made the hold on my sword waver. He was telling the truth, and that fact made me disappointed. My determination started to dim.

However, I quickly gestured for him to back into the room. He did so quickly, and I followed him into what appeared to be another storage room. This one had metal equipment inside that looked to be used for repairs and machines. Grabbing the door, I shut it behind us while keeping my sword up in case the man lashed out. Stepping forward, I kept my voice strong. "Where would they keep a giant sky-bison?"

He continued to look puzzled. "I swear. I don't know anything." He stared at the tip of the blade with horror. "I was hired about a week ago. One of the rules was to never ask questions or snoop around. I go where my superior tells me to go and that's it."

The thought of brainwash had me doubting his words, but I also could see his panic. Lowering my sword, I asked, "Would your superior be Long Feng?"

He shook his head. "No… I've never met the man. He usually doesn't associate with the messengers they hire… My supervisor is Tang Ju. He's the one that speaks to the Dai Li agents and Long Feng."

I took in what he spoke for a moment, and then let out a heavy sigh. This man was of no help at all. It was just my luck. Backing up, I fell back against the door with exhaustion. Dropping the sword to the ground, I wiped my forehead as my whole body shook. I was so tired, and my muscles ached from being thrown around so much in the last few hours.

Trying to compose myself, I looked back at the man who was surprised by my moment of weakness. I asked softly, "Why are you working for these monsters?"

He stared at me for a moment, puzzled by my question. Then he answered, "I need the money… My wife is pregnant, and I don't want our child to be born hungry. When I first took the job, I had no clue I was going to be working underneath a lake."

I couldn't believe my luck. "So you don't know anything about this organization?"

He grimaced. "All I know is Long Feng doesn't want any of us to speak about the war."

Nodding, I turned and placed my ear to the door to listen for any sign of life. There was nothing from what my ears could pick up. Shutting my eyes, I tried to feel around the room for any source of water. My senses caught a small amount from somewhere behind my company. "Do you have any water in here by chance?"

He didn't answer, but instead nodded and walked over to a barrel in the corner of the room. Lifting the lid, he looked back at me. "I don't know how safe it is to drink. They don't refill this barrel like others."

I ignored him, and walked over to the source. "I don't need to drink it." Looking down at my blurred reflection, I frowned when I saw the tired face below me. Dipping my hand into the cool liquid, I cupped some of the water and splashed it onto my tired face. I had to get myself alert if I was making it any further to Appa. Standing straight again, I glanced around the room scanning the shelves for anything I could use to carry the water with me. Remembering the man who stood a few feet away, I looked over at him with guarded eyes. "I need a flask or something."

He looked at me with question, and then pulled something from his side. He held in his hand a metal canteen. "What are you going to do with it?"

Stepping over to him cautiously, I held my hand out for it. "I need something to fight with. To be honest… I have no clue how to use a sword."

Bewilderment painted his expression, but he handed the object over to me. As soon as I had the container, I took off the cap and threw my hand toward the barrel. Water followed my movement as I jerked a stream into the metal holder. Looking back at the man who was stunned by my bending, I backed towards the door putting the cap back on.

"I have some advice for you…" I began. "You may want to quit and find some new employment. The Dai Li won't be around much longer."

He was stunned. "What… what do you mean?"

"Once I get out of here, I'm breaking into that palace and knocking some sense into the king." I reached for the door. "Long Feng's controlled this city for too long."

He observed me with puzzlement. "Who are you?"

I gave a small smile to the man. "No one really... Just a girl trying to end this war." Turning, I shoved the door open and rushed into the hall.

 **Third Person POV**

The sun was at the center of the sky by the time the group made it to the giant lake of Ba Sing Se. Zuko stayed silent as he took in the personalities of the other teens around him. The three freedom fighters kept behind Zuko as they glared at his backside with hatred and distrust. Aang kept asking Zuko questions about his interests, excited to get to know someone new. Katara rolled her eyes at the Avatar's enthusiasm. Momo rested on Sokka's shoulder, searching around for Appa with anticipation. Sokka kept his eyes on Toph with determination. Toph led the group, searching through the earth for the entrance.

"We're getting close," Toph spoke. "I see the hideout under the lake. There's a passage not too far from here."

"I just hope Crys hasn't gotten herself into too much trouble," Sokka muttered.

Zuko grimaced. He recalled times in the past when Crys had tried to defy authority during her captivity. Not only had Zhao been brutal with her, but he had as well. He remembered the time he'd cruelly chained her after she tried to stop him from capturing Aang so long ago. He couldn't believe she'd opened her heart to him after everything he'd done to her in the past.

"Knowing Princess, she's probably smashing holes into walls right now."

Katara crossed her arms. "I feel like after all of this is over we need to set some ground rules for her."

"Not like she'd follow those," Aang commented. "She seems to do her own thing."

This made Zuko sigh. "Yeah. She definitely does…"

Sokka glanced back at Zuko, still finding it unreal that the Fire Nation Prince was walking along the border of the lake with them. "So tell me Prince Zuko…" He fell back into step with the firebender he'd usually run away from. "What did you do to get my sister to swoon for you? Flowers? Candy? Or was it that necklace?"

A blush formed on Zuko's cheeks, and he looked anywhere but at Sokka. "Um… I think it started with reading lessons."

The group fell quiet at Zuko's big reveal. Then Toph burst into laughter. "HA ha! That sounds just like her!"

Katara growled and snapped at the group, "Can we just focus on getting her back!"

Zuko cringed at the distaste from Katara. Aang noticed and nudged him in the side, speaking so only he would hear. "Don't worry… She'll come around." Zuko nodded, but wasn't convinced.

The group continued only a few more meters, and then Toph stopped. The others stopped with her in question.

"We're here," she spoke softly. Then she stamped her foot down and a long bridge appeared before them, parting the water as it rose up, coming to a stop fifty feet ahead. "From what I can see the place has tons of people inside it. Be ready to fight."

Sokka reached for his sword and unsheathed it. "I'm so ready to knock some Dai Li creeps around. They've been thorns in our side since we got here."

Momo hopped over to Aang's shoulder, who nodded in response. "I'm usually one for peace, but these people stole Appa and imprisoned Crystal. They deserve a pounding."

"Especially Long Feng," Katara muttered.

Jet stepped in front of the group then, stating, "I know the path to Appa from here. Let's get going." He started to lead the way across the bridge, and Longshot and Smellerbee followed without hesitation.

Katara looked back at the others feeling uncertain though. As the three freedom fighters stepped out of earshot, she asked, "Are we sure we can trust Jet?"

Toph stood firm to the ground. "He's not lying, but part of me questions if the brainwashing has something to do with that."

"I'm definitely not letting my guard down," Aang muttered. He then glanced over at Sokka who gripped his sword hard, and then at Zuko who looked distracted with worry. Stepping over to them, he placed a hand reassuringly on each of their shoulders. "She's going to be fine guys. Crystal is stronger than we give her credit for. She's probably figuring out a way to escape as we speak." He let go, and then began to follow the freedom fighters along the bridge.

Soon Toph, Zuko, and Sokka were the last three on land. As they watched the five other teens reach the end of the bridge and hop down below, Zuko shut his eyes to calm his quick paced heart. "I really hope she's here."

Toph took a step towards the bridge and began to head to the opening Aang had made. "There's only one way to find out."

Sokka looked over at Zuko, who nodded back at him. The both of them followed Toph's steps as they prepared to enter the unknown. Once they managed to jump down into the lower hall of the Dai Li's headquarters, Toph concentrated on her surroundings. As she searched the halls for any sign of Crystal, she was shocked when she felt through the vibrations of the earth a lot of activity a few halls away. A tremor in the earth convinced Toph that there was a fight happening not too far, and she assumed the small steps in between could only belong to one person.

Toph grabbed Sokka's arm and jerked him as she took off. "This way!"

 **Crystal POV**

Running through the hall, I dodged another attack as the Dai Li agent tried to fling another large stone slab at me. A few moments before I'd miraculously found the original hall I'd been dragged through when I was first brought to Long Feng's crazy prison. With eagerness and determination, I headed towards the direction Appa was being held knowing it woudn't take long for that messenger to tell someone about me. Unfortunately, a Dai Li officer was standing guard at the door to Appa's cell and started attacking me as soon as he saw me. Remembering the lesson's Zuko had taught me during our many spars over the months, I managed to dodge his attacks with ease, but struggled to undo the cap of the flask I'd acquired.

As I gasped and dodged another large boulder, I finally got the cap off and jerked the water out. Dropping the flask, I took the water I'd managed to maneuver in front of me and shot a narrow stream at the man. He jerked to the side, and my water hit the wall he stood by. Without hesitation, I took the water back before it soaked into the crevices and flung it to the side where the man had stepped. He wasn't expecting my abrupt recovery, and before he had time to dodge again my water hit him and shoved him back off his feet.

Rushing in front of him as he tried to recover from his fall, I jerked my water back up and then crashed it back down on the man. Once the water covered his torso and hands, I froze him to the stone floor.

His eyes widened as he was stuck, and his lack of movement made it impossible for him to earthbend. "Hey! HELP!" He shouted out for someone to come to his aid. In a panic, I pulled some of the frozen element off turning it back into water, and then placed it over his mouth. Freezing his lips together, I backed off with relief when his shouts were cut off.

Trying to catch my breath, I backed away from him. Finding my voice, I muttered, "I would say sorry, but then I'd be lying."

Turning, I grabbed the latch to the door and jerked it open. Rushing inside, I found Appa just as I first had when Long Feng brought me to this horrible prison: chained up and scared.

Appa's eyes widened when he saw me, and then he let out a groan of delight. Rushing over, I took some water from the trough that still was in the room and did the exact thing I'd done before. Using the water, I cut each of the chains off Appa releasing him from his restraints. Once he was free, I went to grab more water from the trough to break the ceiling above. Pulling out the rest of the contents, I hardened it into a ball of ice and pulled the heavy floating element to the middle of the room. Then with as much strength as I could, I shot the firm piece up at the ceiling and it crashed into the stone breaking an opening above. Fragments of the ceiling dropped down toward me, and I stumbled back missing the falling pieces of earth by a hair.

Once the echo of the crashing rocks came to a stop a few moments later, silence fell over the room as sunlight from above fell over me and Appa. Looking up, I saw blue sky and the path to freedom. My whole body was on the edge of exhaustion, and I felt my head pulse, but I knew it was far from over. We still had to fly out and pray that Dai Li men weren't already outside ready to attack.

The door creaked open from behind though, and I tightened my fist in irritation and preparation. The universe kept throwing challenges at me. Just as I prepared to fight again, the intruder spoke stopping me from my attack. "So much for rescuing her. She's one step ahead…And she's found Appa."

Looking over at Sokka's figure with bewilderment, I saw him step into the large room looking around at the pieces of ceiling on the floor with amusement.

"And she's blown a hole in the ceiling like you said she would, Toph."

"See. Told you guys she'd be fine," Toph exclaimed stepping in the room as well. "Princess knows what she's doing."

"You were the one panicking just now," another voice spoke from behind them. "I could barely keep up."

The last voice had me completely in shock. As Zuko stepped into the room, I felt my mind become muddy with disbelief. What was Zuko doing here with Toph and Sokka? Was I so exhausted to the point that my mind was playing tricks on me? Was I secretly brainwashed by Long Feng and his henchmen? Or had I just officially gone insane?

"Thanks for once again having me worried sick, Crys," Sokka said, stepping over to me and checking me over to make sure I was okay. "You not only disappear for days, but then I find out you've been captured by these twisted maniacs."

I was speechless as Sokka spoke to me. I kept looking back and forth from him and the guy who had been his enemy for months. Zuko noticed my confusion, and quickly reassured me with a weak smile. "You're not crazy."

Appa stepped over to Sokka thrilled to see another friend. He held his arms out and threw them around Appa's front leg with delight. "Hey buddy! It's good to see you."

Toph walked over and pat Appa on the neck. "Yeah. Good to see you again pal. You had us all worried."

As Toph and Sokka reunited with Appa, Zuko stepped over to me. Grabbing my arms, he looked me over with concern. "Are you alright?"

Staring at him in bewilderment, I asked softly, "What's going on…? Why are you with Sokka and Toph?"

He smiled weakly. "Because I've finally opened my eyes… You were right about everything… There is another path, and this is it."

Toph added from beside Appa, "Yeah! Your loverboy is part of the group now!"

Zuko cringed at the nickname she gave him. I was utterly lost and confused. I'd only been gone for a day. What happened in that time?

"Wait…" Sokka suddenly spoke up. "If Crys and Appa are both in here… then where did Jet take the others?"

Once more my mind fell into a mess of puzzlement. Jet? As in the dude who tried to kill Zuko and hurt Aang so long ago?

"Shoot!" Toph shouted. "He's probably leading them into a trap! He must still be screwed up from Long Feng's brainwashing!"

Sokka immediately went into leader mode. He stepped over to me and Zuko, saying, "We need to find the others." He spoke directly to Zuko as if they were war pals and not yesterdays enemies. "Get Crys and Appa out of here. I don't think she's in much of a state to fight right now. Toph and I will go find them."

Zuko was horrified. "What? I don't know how to fly a giant sky-bison!"

Sokka rolled his eyes. "Yet you can steer a giant rough-rhino no problem."

"That's different! Rhinos are on the ground!"

"Just say yip-yip, and Appa will mostly fly himself. Aang has his bison whistle, so he'll blow it once we're back outside so we can find you all. Just make sure neither of you fall off."

Toph grabbed Sokka's arm again. "Yeah. You got this, loverboy. Come on Sokka." As they left the room to help the others, I continued to stand in silent amazement. Everything felt like a dream.

A deep sigh came out of Zuko, and he looked over at me with focus."Come on. Let's get out of here."

As his words hit me, and I realized my part to the fight was over, I felt my legs turn into liquid. The composure I'd maintained since I'd escaped the second time completely evaporated. The anxiety and fear that had coursed through me before turned into exhaustion and relief. Tears filled my eyes, and I dropped my head letting my hair cover my face. Everything that happened in the last few hours rushed back to me, and my body began to ache in every place imaginable. Warm protective arms encircled me, and I moved forward letting his hold comfort me and be my crutch. My body shook against him as my tears soaked into his shirt.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he whispered, pressing his face into my hair. "I wish I could've gotten here sooner."

Somehow Zuko encouraged me to get onto Appa's back so we could fly out before Dai Li officials swarmed on us. As Appa let us clamber up his tail and onto his back, Zuko held onto me as he grabbed Appa's fur as well. My own hands automatically grabbed some of the fur in front of me to hold on.

"Uh… What was that word again…? Yup Yup?"

I smiled slightly as Zuko stumbled over sounds trying to recall what Sokka had said. Softly, I spoke, "Yip Yip, Appa."

At my words, Appa let out a groan as he jumped and lifted from the ground up towards the sky. As wind gushed past us, Zuko and I grabbed on to Appa's fur harder. He shot straight up, flying us right out of the chamber's broken ceiling into blinding sunlight. He let out another groan as he felt freedom around him at last. He'd been down there longer than any of us, and I knew he was thrilled to be released. As he hovered above the lake, I found the strength to pull myself up and glance around for somewhere we could land until Aang called. Spotting a small island of tall grass with some birds perched by the water, I said, "Down there Appa."

Appa took my suggestion and flew us down to the patch of green grass. Once he landed, I found my stability and released his fur. Turning to Zuko, I saw his eyes were wide in shock. It had been the first time he'd flown on Appa while being conscious. Back at the North Pole, he'd been knocked out when my family brought him back to the Northern Water Tribe after he tried to get Aang.

"Wow… That was pretty petrifying," he muttered.

Looking over at him, I nodded. "It's better with his saddle…I guess the sandbenders pawned that off too after they sold him." My voice was just loud enough for him to hear. I was so tired. However, I knew it wasn't over yet. We still had to get to the Earth King when the others caught back up with us. I had to show him the proof I had managed to tuck inside my left boot. Turning, I crawled across Appa's furry back and sat at his neck. Patting him on the head, I said, "Sorry it took me so long, buddy. I'm not going to let anything else happen to you again. I owe you that much."

Appa groaned to let me know he forgave me, and his ears moved up and down the way they usually did when he was happy. As he dropped lower to the earth to lay down in the grass and enjoy the warm sunlight, I turned back to Zuko who watched me from where he knelt on Appa's back.

"You look awful," he suddenly spoke. "They did a number on you."

I grimaced, looking at my arms and other visible skin that was covered in scratches and starting to bruise. My hair hung messily around me needing a good brush. "It was more so me doing a number on myself. This was my second escape attempt… The first one failed miserably."

He pondered over what I spoke, and then let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry I left you the other night. You wouldn't have been ca-"

"You can't protect me forever, Zuko," I said, looking down at Appa's fur to avoid his gaze. "Besides… I had no clue Long Feng would imprison me. I didn't know he was even after me."

He fell silent for a moment. "So Long Feng is the guy who took you," he finally muttered. "Looks like he's running this freak show circus."

Quiet fell over us for a moment, and then I took in a deep breath ready to get some answers. "What's going on, Zuko? Why are you with Sokka and Toph? I don't understand…"

He smiled weakly. "Actually, your brother found me first. I had every intention of looking for you on my own, but right when I was ready to get you back he crashed through the door… literally. We had a small scuffle, but then we both realized we wanted the same thing. He was worried sick about you, and so was I…"

I took in everything he spoke, unable to believe Sokka had put his hatred for Zuko aside to work with him.

"And what about what Toph said… About you being part of the group now?"

He dropped his eyes from me as he fell into deep thought. Then he answered, "A lot has happened in the last few hours you were gone. I've learned some things about myself that opened my eyes. You were right about having two paths before me… And you were right about being able to earn my honor another way… I don't want to help my father hurt people anymore. I want to restore the balance like my great-grandfather before me tried to do."

His words puzzled me more. His great-grandfather? Sozin was the monster who started the war. What was he talking about?

He noticed my confusion. "I'm not talking about Fire Lord Sozin… I'm talking about my great-grandfather on my mom's side." He smiled again. "It turns out I'm the great-grandson of Avatar Roku."

The moment he said it, I was speechless with bewilderment. What kind of crazy dream was I in?

"I have to be dreaming," I suddenly spoke, more so to myself. I shook my head as if it would help me wake up. "This is all too good to be true."

Zuko suddenly crawled over to me, and his hands grabbed my shoulders. As he knelt in front of me, he leaned forward so his face was inches away. "You're not dreaming Crys… I'm as surprised by this as you, but it's really happening. Aang needs a firebending teacher, and he asked me to be his guide." His hand brushed my hair from my face and pushed it behind my ear. "I'm going to help you all stop this war. I'm done trying to please my father… He sent Azula to imprison me anyways…" He grimaced. "I've been wasting these last three years hunting down the Avatar, and in the end my father still sees me as a disappointment; a failure. I'm ready to make someone proud, and if that starts with you then I'll take it."

My eyes stared at his sincere expression with wonder. Then I leaned forward wrapping my arms around him. "I am proud of you." I rested my head on his chest as he returned my embrace. "The moment I saw you drop everything to help your Uncle when he was attacked by Azula showed me the real you. And the fact that you're here only proves my point."

He pressed his face into my hair. "You always saw the good in me… It took me a little longer to see it too."

Appa suddenly let out a grunt, and he started to move back to his feet. Zuko and I gasped quickly grabbing his fur again so we wouldn't fall of his back. With a groan, Appa took off into the air once again and headed a direction towards the bridge that led into the Dai Li's headquarters. As we flew over the lake, I saw on the shore a crowd of people surrounded by three giant walls. Getting closer, I could see with horror that the crowd was my family, Aang, and Toph. The others that stood on the tops of each wall were the Dai Li agents.

"They're surrounded! We have to help," I cried.

Appa took my suggestion and lifted us higher into the air. As we began to pass over the ambush, Appa shot down hitting one of the walls which sent five Dai Li men flying forward into the lake's water. The other wall was destroyed only a split second later sending more agents flying in different directions. Appa must've been as annoyed with the Dai Li as me, because he landed hard and used his tail to shoot a gust of air at the other agents on the ground sending them flying back from impact.

As Appa attacked, Aang and Toph took out the final wall causing the Dai Li agents to all be catapulted towards the lake's water. Appa took out the majority of Long Feng's henchmen, while others panicked and retreated from the scene. Eventually all that was left were myself, Appa, Zuko, Momo, Aang, Toph, and my brother and sister squaring off against Long Feng who looked irate. Zuko and I dropped from Appa's back, and I tightened my fist as I stared at the man who had imprisoned me.

"I see you've escaped again," Long Feng hissed. "You've truly gotten on my last nerves."

Narrowing my eyes, I took a step to attack. "I never asked you to imprison me!" However, Appa intercepted my advance by placing his foot in front of me. He growled at Long Feng to defend me.

"Protecting her, eh?" Long Feng stomped towards Appa with fury. "I can handle you myself!" He launched a kick at Appa, who easily bit his foot and lifted him in the air. Then with a violent swing of his head, Appa threw Long Feng off land and the man hit the water hard several times before making a final splash and sinking below. My eyes stayed to the spot where Long Feng had sunk, and a moment later I saw him resurface from far off. Instead of swimming towards us, he turned and swam in the opposite direction. I had a strong feeling he was going to either get back up, or go guard the King.

Looking back over at the group, I saw everyone but Zuko were embracing Appa with delight. Aang had tears as he was reunited with his lost pal. Momo sat on Appa's head between his horns glad to have his friend back. As I saw the reunion before me, I let out a deep and heavy sigh of relief.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on them Zuko," Sokka spoke, stepping over to him and nudging his arm with an elbow.

Zuko nodded, asking, "So I guess Jet did lead you into a trap… Where are those three?"

Toph answered with a sad tone. "Jet was hurt… His friends stayed with him."

As the group continued to converse, I looked out towards the lake with a heavy heart. As much as I hadn't been a fan of Jet, I felt sorry for what happened to him. From the way Toph spoke, I had a feeling I wouldn't be seeing him again.

"Crys!" Katara's hand suddenly grabbed my shoulder to get my attention. "I'm so glad your okay! You had us so worried!" She grabbed me into a hug as if we'd been apart for months like before.

Pulling from her, I gave her a small smile. "Sorry to worry you… I'm glad Aang had his sky-bison whistle on him."

"Me too." She looked me over then, and her eyes landed on the scratches and bruises all over my arms. "You look awful," she commented, going into her usual worry mode. "You're covered in scratches. Did they hurt you?"

Part of me wanted to lie, but the aching in my body grew worse at her mention of pain. As the pain surged through me, I grimaced feeling the worst of it in my back. The throbbing only intensified the longer I stood. "My back is the worst… Long Feng attacked me from behind with a boulder… I think it's bruised up."

She nodded. "I'll heal it as soon as we get somewhere safe."

The thought of our next steps returned me to the true goal we all needed to focus on though. With sore muscles, I bent over and grabbed the parchment I'd shoved inside my shoe. Pulling it out, I handed it over to Katara who watched me with amazement. "Actually... There's time for that later… We need to get to the King as soon as we can. He needs to know about the war."

She looked at me with shock, and then down at the parchment she held in her hands.

I ran a hand through my hair trying to get my mind on track. "We still have a long day ahead of us."


	39. A Taste of Victory

**A/N: Hey readers! Here it is! The much awaited (and much delayed) chapter! I hope you enjoy! I promise to start on the next one asap!**

 **-Faithy Waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 39: A Taste of Victory**

Katara stared down at the letter with horror, reading over the contents in disbelief. She looked at me with question as the last two minutes sunk into her.

"Where did you get this?" She looked back down. "That's definitely an official seal."

Sokka had been petting Appa still, and pondering over our next steps, but he overheard and stepped over to Katara reading the letter over her shoulder. Zuko waited for someone to explain from where he stood a little off from the group, and Aang and Toph waited with anticipation as well from beside Appa. As Sokka read the letter, his eyes narrowed in fury. "What?! The Dai Li knew about Omashu and didn't do anything! What's wrong with these people?!"

At the name Omashu, Aang quickly stepped over grabbing the letter from Katara and reading it. His eyes widened when he read the drastic note from his friend Bumi.

Gritting his teeth, he snapped, "Bumi asked for help and was ignored!" He looked at all of us with fury. "That's it! We're getting to the King right now! It's time we take Long Feng and his followers down." He turned and walked over to Appa. "Who's ready to break into a palace?"

Zuko was astonished by Aang's rash decision. "What? We're breaking into the palace?"

Sokka beamed with excitement. "Bring it on!"

"Wait!" Katara exclaimed. "Long Feng is in control of the city. His conspiracy with the Dai Li is too powerful. I think we should just keep flying and leave this horrible place behind us. I don't think you can go on much longer anyway, Crys."

"I'm fine," I promised, trying to sound convincing. "The sooner we stop the Dai Li then the sooner I can rest. King Kuei needs to know about the war if we're ever going to get one step closer to winning."

"Yeah!" Aang jumped back in. "And now that we have Appa back, there is nothing stopping us from telling the Earth King the truth about the conspiracy and the war."

"See! Aang and Crys are onboard!" Sokka was pumped and ready for an ambush. "It's the whole reason we came here in the first place… we have to try."

Katara let out a heavy sigh. "Well, I guess if the Earth King knew the truth, things could change..."

Toph pointed her finger at Sokka. "I don't trust the new positive Sokka. Long Feng brainwashed you, didn't he!"

Zuko looked at Toph with surprise. I smiled, saying, "Don't take her seriously. She's a goof."

Toph nodded in agreement. "You'll learn loverboy."

Sokka broke back in. "Enough chitchat! Let's get moving."

Just as the group was about to board Appa, Toph suddenly asked, "Wait… what about Zuko though? How do we explain the Fire Lord's son being with us?"

The group looked at Zuko with sudden uncertainty, and then Aang had an idea pop in his head. "Well technically King Kuei doesn't have to know Zuko is the Fire Lord's son. He probably doesn't know who the Fire Lord is anyway. If it gets out Zuko's a firebender, and the King questions us, we'll just tell him that Zuko grew up in the Earth Kingdom and offered to be my firebending teacher." Aang smiled with pride at his tale. "He'll never know!"

Katara scoffed. "Right… Because Zuko's _such_ a model citizen now."

Her spite towards Zuko caused me to look at her with hurt. She caught my gaze and turned her head so she wouldn't have to feel guilty for being so cold to the guy I loved.

"I think it sounds great," Sokka commented, trying to lighten the mood.

Zuko smiled weakly. "It's not bad…"

As everyone climbed up on Appa, I took in a deep breath as if doing so would grant me one last burst of energy to get through the day. I was starving and parched, but I refused to complain. Once we got to the Earth King and revealed Long Feng's evil doings, then I could rest at last.

"Alright everyone. Hold on tight, because this is going to be a bumpy ride," Aang exclaimed.

All of us grabbed Appa's fur prepared to take off. With a groan, Appa smashed his tail down and shot off the earth straight into the air. Aang sat on Appa's head so he could tell him which way to go, while Momo glided beside us glad to have his flying buddy back. As we soared over the city of Ba Sing Se, Zuko shouted over to me, "So we're about to storm into a heavily guarded palace… Are you all usually this rash?"

Sokka was the one to answer. "This is a usual adventure for Team Avatar. You'll get used to it."

Toph whined from beside me, "Can we get another saddle after all of this is over?! Riding bareback is terrifying!"

"We're almost there, Toph," Katara promised. "Just hang on a little longer."

"Easy for you to say! I'm totally blind right now!"

Appa continued through the air, passing over the Lower and Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se smooth and quick. However, once we got into the Upper Ring and neared the palace that was at the center of the whole city, our luck turned sour. The palace stood golden and elevated in the center of a wall that circled around it. At the front of the palace was a large plaza that had a symmetrically marked pathway leading straight towards the entrance to the inner chambers. A moat was crafted horizontally across the edge of the plaza separating the plaza from the stairs to the palace. From the distance, I saw three bridges were stretched across the moat.

"There it is," Sokka stated. "That whole thing is the palace. The Earth King's chambers should be in the center."

"We have to be careful!" Katara cautioned. "Long Feng's probably warned the King we're coming."

I frowned. "Yeah… I don't doubt that at all."

Sokka snapped at the both of us, "Why would you assume that? If you ask me, I think we're just gonna sail right i-"

Appa jerked up suddenly and we all shouted as we were forced to grab on harder to Appa's fur.

In a panic, Toph cried, "What was that?"

Sokka answered, "Surface to air rocks! More incoming! Ahhh!"

From where I was positioned on Appa, I could vaguely see a large mound of stone shoot up missing us by a hair. As Appa dodged numerous attacks being shot up from down below by Earth Kingdom soldiers, Zuko shouted, "Maybe we should land and fight!"

Toph quickly agreed. "I like Zuko's idea!"

Katara shouted back. "And I don't!"

"That's just because you don't like him, Sugarqueen," Toph snapped.

"Well how do I know he's not going to turn around and attack us once his hands are free?"

"Because he'll be dodging the boulders flying at him from the other people we should be focused on," Sokka broke in.

"I just don't trust him! He's only been with us for a few hours! He's still an enemy in my eyes!"

"You're not even giving him a chance," I cried, speaking up for the first time.

"Let's do this later! I'm taking us down," Aang shouted. "Everyone get ready to fight!"

Aang shot Appa down towards the earth and jumped off before Appa landed. As Aang shot a blast of air towards some Earth Kingdom guards who brandished spears, Appa landed on the ground with a groan. Once we were grounded, the rest of us slid off Appa preparing our own weapons. I took some water from the moat ten yards away and flowed it over to me. Then I prepared to fight, bringing the large floating stream in front of me. Sokka had his club in hand, and Zuko had a grip on both his broadswords probably deciding not to reveal he was a firebender just yet. Toph beamed with delight as she regained her sight, while Katara glared over at Zuko with suspicion.

"You kids are trespassing!" One of the guards stepped forward, tightening his fist.

Aang backed up so he was in front of the group, and he gripped his staff hard. "We want to see the Earth King, and this time we're not taking no for an answer!"

The guard who spoke was outraged by Aang's defiance and ordered his men to attack. The other guards immediately ran towards us with their weapons, while others shot rocks at us from afar. We all split up in different directions, although all of us kept straight to get closer to the palace. Hitting soldier after soldier with my water, I saw from the corner of my eye Zuko and Sokka were fighting the soldiers who weren't benders. Katara and Toph were watching each other's backs as they used water and rocks to clear a path. Momo stayed on Appa, who was using his powerful tail to shoot Earth Kingdom guards across the plaza with air.

A shout sounded from behind me as a guard ran towards me with a spear. Whipping my water around quickly, I created a thick wall of ice and shoved it against the tip of his blade. While my ice cracked, his spear shattered. His spear had been made out of stone, and obviously hadn't been maintained properly. He stared down at the end of his spear pole in shock, seeing the tip was gone. As he was momentarily stunned, I jerked the molecule back into water and threw it hard at his abdomen. He yelped as he was thrown back and his body hit the earth hard.

The fight in the plaza didn't seem to sway, and Toph appeared to be getting irritated that we weren't making much progress towards the bridge. She shouted for Aang, who jumped and landed beside her with question. She pointed at the line of guards before us that seemed endless, and said something to Aang. He nodded, and the two of them raced forward in front of the group.

As they rushed towards the soldiers, Aang shouted back, "Follow us!"

Smashing another stream into a soldier, I pulled my water back once the man was on the ground and raced forward after the rest of the group who were already moving. Appa paced behind us, groaning to intimidate the soldiers. As we rushed forward, Aang and Toph used earthbending to flip the stone beneath the lined soldiers and trap their lower bodies beneath slabs of earth.

As the soldiers were taken care of in the plaza, we rushed by them with relief towards the bridge that crossed over the moat. Dropping the water I carried, I raced in front of the group as two soldiers appeared on the bridge to stop us from crossing. Grabbing the water from below, I shoved a wave over the bridge and knocked the two men off into the water below them. As we ran over the bridge, Aang shouted down below, "Sorry! We just need to get to the Earth King!"

Zuko snapped, "Don't apologize to the guys who are trying to arrest us!"

Sokka shouted over to Zuko in reply, "That's what I always tell him, but he never listens!"

A boulder shot towards me as soon as I stepped off the bridge, and Toph rushed in front of me stopping the boulder mid-air and shooting it back at the man who threw it. The boulder hit the guy at the foot of the stairs, and he was thrown back with a yelp. I stared at her back in shock, stunned by my moment of weakness.

"Watch it Princess!" Toph snapped back at me. Then she turned her head towards Aang. "Let's take out the stairs Twinkletoes!" They both rushed in front of the group using earthbending to shift the stairs into a slide. As the soldiers on the stairs yelped and slid down towards us, Toph bent a platform beneath us and sent us sliding up the incline past the soldiers who shouted on their way down.

As we shot up towards the top where the King's quarters were, with Appa and Momo flying up beside us, Sokka grabbed my arm as I staggered from the movement. My exhaustion was starting to hit me, and my head pounded as my energy began to fade. "Stop trying to do everything," he ordered in my ear. "Let us handle the rest."

"I'm fine," I lied, pulling from his grip. "Don't worry about me."

We stopped up at the top, and the group started to head towards the entrance. As I stepped forward to follow, Sokka grabbed my arm again to pull me back. I looked at him with question. "I know you Crys… You're too stubborn to listen to your own body. You always want to look out for everyone but yourself." He let my arm go, but his eyes burned into my own. "Let us do the rest. You've done enough."

I was stunned by his sudden big brother mode, but I didn't argue. Instead, I nodded to let him know I would. He let go of my arm once he got my compliance, and then the two of us rushed forward to follow the others. The entrance had no doorway, but the hall we entered was large and wide enough that Appa easily stepped through with us. As we entered the chambers, we arrived at a four way intersection that led to different parts of the palace. A group of guards rushed towards us, and Toph stomped her foot down sending the earth up from below them and pinning them to the ceiling.

"Toph, which way to the Earth King?"

Toph snapped back at Sokka, "How should I know? I'm still voting that we leave Ba Sing Se!"

Zuko spoke up then, giving some advice. "Usually the King's chambers are at the center of the palace." He pointed towards the hall in front of us. "We should head that way."

Aang beamed. "See! Told you Zuko would be a good addition to the group! He has princely wisdom!"

Katara scowled, "Enough praise! Let's get this over with!" Katara took the lead, more out of spite than actual determination.

My heart stung at her hate, but I understood the feelings she had for Zuko. He was only an enemy to her eyes. Aang accepted him because the young Avatar always searched for the good in others. Sokka accepted him only enough to make me happy. I knew Toph's main reason was due to not being familiar with the history Zuko had with my family. I had a feeling it would take some time for Zuko to fully be accepted by everyone in the group.

As we made our way down the path before us, Sokka began to open doors left and right searching for the Earth King. As he opened another door, Zuko snapped, "He's not going to be in a small room if he's a king!"

Sokka opened another door, while looking over at Zuko. "You never know!"

As he spoke, a shout came from inside the room he had opened and a woman cried, "Burglar!"

Sokka cringed shutting the door quickly while stating, "Sorry! Wrong door!"

Zuko let out a sigh of disbelief, as Sokka continued his door opening and shutting. I smiled weakly. "He does his own thing."

"Yeah," he muttered. "I see that."

Just as we headed onto another hall, Sokka stopped abruptly. We quickly stopped with him, and found ourselves in front of a giant double door entry with gold trim. "Now _that's_ an impressive door. It's gotta go somewhere!" He then jumped towards it with a shout and lunged his foot at the stone giving it a kick. His kick had absolutely no impact.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Zuko was shocked by Sokka's foolish attempt. "Did you really think that would work?"

Sokka slammed his body up against the door and began to struggle with the heavy stone. Zuko covered his eyes in disbelief, while I sighed knowing he would get nowhere. Aang and Toph stepped up and moved their hands towards the door causing the massive frame to fall forward and crash on the ground. Sokka fell forward from the sudden movement of the door landing on top of it with an 'oof.' He quickly pulled himself together and looked back at Aang and Toph irritated. "A little warning next time!"

We all entered the massive throne room then, while Toph muttered to him, "You're the one trying to be all macho and tough."

Arriving in the throne room, we were immediately greeted by a line of Dai Li that stood in front of the King. King Kuei sat on an elevated throne, and a giant bear in clothing sat beside him eating some fruit. The king was young, perhaps in his mid-twenties, and was embellished in a fine robe seated at a jade and golden throne. On the brim of his nose were some small spectacles. He watched us with narrowed eyes as we approached. The Dai Li prepared to attack, and we prepared to fight back.

Aang stepped in front of the group, wielding his staff. "We need to talk to you!"

Long Feng appeared beside the king, and he quickly snapped, "They're here to overthrow you!"

I scowled, tightening my fist at the man's deception. Sokka defended us. "No, we're on your side. We're here to help."

Katara spoke up as well. "You have to trust us!"

The Earth King rose with fury. "You invade my palace, lay waste to all my guards, break down my fancy door, and you expect me to _trust_ you?"

Toph grimaced from beside me. "He has a good point."

He continued. "If you're on my side, then drop your weapons and stand down."

Looking around, I saw others in the group meet my gaze. Then once Aang gave the nod, everyone sheathed their weapons or backed from their stances. Once our weapons were away, we waited for the King to give us his blessing.

"See," Aang reassured. "We're friends, your Earthiness."

However, friendship didn't seem to be on the King's agenda. With a wave of his arm, he ordered Long Feng to detain us. Just as Long Feng gave a victorious smile, and went to order his men forward, I pulled the scroll out between Sokka's belt and stepped forward. Sokka protested from behind, but I let it fly by.

"Wait!" I stopped in the middle of the room, standing between the gang and the Dai Li. The King was stunned by my bravery. "Please your highness. If you would just read this letter, you'll understand why we're here. The fate of the Earth Kingdom rests in your hands, and if you don't let us explain then all of us will fall."

Long Feng scowled. "Silence! You do not speak to the King so direct! You will be arrested immediately!"

I narrowed my eyes. "Arrested again? Is that all you know how to do to keep the king in the dark. You sound like such a coward Long Feng!"

"Crys," Sokka hissed. "You promised."

Ignoring him, I held the letter from King Bumi up for the King before me to see. "There is a war happening, King Kuei!" I stared directly towards the man who looked at me with sudden surprise. "If you don't believe me, my friends, or this letter, then fine. However, the least you can do is go see for yourself."

"War…" The king stared at the parchment with shock. Long Feng was both bewildered and outraged by the letter in my hand. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"This is foolish," Long Feng snapped. He then ordered, "Detain the assailants! Make sure the Avatar and his friends never see daylight again!"

At the word "Avatar" the King's interest was even more peaked. He looked at the others behind me, and pointed at someone. "The Avatar? _You're_ the Avatar?"

Following his finger, I looked back to see he was pointing at Sokka who looked stunned. He answered by pointing to Aang. "Uh, no, him." Aang waved at the King in reply.

"What does it matter Your Highness?" Long Feng snapped. "They're enemies of the state."

As Long Feng spoke this, I suddenly heard giggling from behind me. Looking back at Aang, I saw him laugh as the bear that once sat by the King was now licking his cheek. Zuko inched away from the bear, while Katara smiled at Aang's playful ways.

"Bosco seems to like him though." The King suddenly thought out loud. He then looked back at me turning serious. "I'll hear what you all have to say."

Aang approached stepping beside me. "Well, sir, there is a war going on right now. For the past hundred years, in fact. The Dai Li's kept it secret from you. It's a conspiracy to control the city, and to control you."

The King was appalled by such information. "A secret war? That's crazy!"

Aang continued. "Long Feng didn't want us to tell you, so he stole our Sky Bison and Crystal to blackmail us. And blackmail is the least of his crimes… he brain washed our friend!"

Long Feng scoffed. "All lies. I've never even _seen_ a Sky Bison, Your Majesty. Frankly, I thought they were extinct."

I scowled. "Want to tell that to Appa?"

Long Feng was startled. "What?"

Turning to Aang, I said, "Why don't we bring Appa in and remind Long Feng of their history."

Aang smiled. "Sure! He's right outside the door we just smashed down!"

"Absolutely not! You can't allow a giant beast in here!" Long Feng stated to the king. "He could harm you! Frankly, he's too big to even fit in here!"

I smirked. "How do you know that if you've never seen him?" Long Feng stared at me in fury when he realized I'd just cornered him.

The King realized this as well. "That is an excellent question." He looked at Long Feng with narrowed eyes. "What is the meaning of this, Long Feng?"

He pointed at me. "Don't listen to this child, your highness! She is nothing more than a criminal and traitor!"

My eyes narrowed. Fury built inside me. I'd had it with Long Feng and his men. I was tired, and I couldn't handle anymore arrogance from anyone else. I'd been through enough in the last twenty-four hours and wanted nothing more than to curl up on a nice cot and pass out.

Stepping forward, I held the letter out towards the King staring him directly in the eyes. "Please, Earth King Kuei. You can believe Long Feng and arrest us if you want... All I ask is that you read this letter from King Bumi and look into what you've been told. We don't intend to deceive or hurt you… We just want the world to be safe again."

The King stared at me with bewilderment. Then he stood slowly from his throne and made his way towards me.

Long Feng intercepted him. "Sir! I strongly discourage this!"

King Kuei held his hand up to Long Feng to silence him. Long Feng scowled and stepped back with clenched fists. King Kuei then approached me and took the letter from my hand. Opening it, he read over the contents and as he did so his eyes widened in horror.

Long Feng tried again. "Sir! That letter could be a fake! Anyone can fabricate a letter written by some whacko king from some small run down city!"

The King stayed focused on the letter, seeing the frantic scribbles of King Bumi. He saw King Bumi's wax seal at the bottom as well. "King Bumi… My father was good friends with him when he was alive from what I remember…" He frowned. "I thought the man hated me and that's why we never crossed paths." His eyes met my own, and then he looked at the scar that stretched from my cheek to my collar bone. Looking back at the letter once he realized what he was doing, he asked, "So… The Fire Nation attacked Omashu?"

Nodding, I answered, "They have King Bumi as prisoner. The Avatar tried to get him back but had no choice but to retreat." I kept strong as I continued. "Please sir… The world is in desperate need of your help."

"Your highness!" Long Feng stepped forward towards me, and I backed away in shock. He pointed a sharp finger at me. "This girl is not to be trusted! She is in cahoots with the enemy! She only wants to distract and confuse you!"

"That's a lie," Aang snapped. "Quit trying to blind the king!" He then said to King Kuei, "Crystal is an ally to the Earth Kingdom! She's the daughter of Hakoda, Chief of the Southern Water Tribe! She's speaking the truth, and so is the letter! You have to believe us. We can show you proof if you'll just give us the chance."

"Proof!" Long Feng scowled. "What proof could you possibly have?!"

"Me," a voice spoke up from behind. My eyes widened when I turned to see Zuko step up beside me. He pulled something from his pocket and I saw a leather sheath with the Fire Nation emblem on it. "My name is Prince Zuko, crowned prince of the Fire Nation. I was once on the opposing side of the war, but betrayed my father by switching sides." The king stared at the Fire Nation seal in astonishment. "I want to help you defeat my father and end this war once and for all."

"See your majesty!" Long Feng shouted in one final attempt. "They have brought the enemy in our midst! They are here to dethrone you!"

King Kuei stared at Zuko in bewilderment, and then over at Long Feng who looked ready to panic. "I see… They've brought the enemy in my midst... The _very_ enemy you _never_ told me about." He narrowed his eyes at Long Feng. "Let's take a step back." The king didn't look at all pleased. "If these children are enemies of the state, then why on earth was I not informed about them?"

Long Feng's jaw dropped, and he stared blankly at the king. He then snapped his mouth shut and grit his teeth. "I found it not something to concern you with, your _highness_."

Zuko spoke up again. "From a Prince to a King, I ask that you accept our council and proceed to look into this matter Earth King Kuei. Your advisor has been keeping valuable information from you. As a ruler of this city, it is your duty to look into such details that concern your people. You cannot rely on the word of your advisor alone."

Long Feng growled. "I strongly discourage you to listen to this young man! A simple leather sheath with some symbol shows no proof of royalty!"

"ENOUGH!" King Kuei snapped at Long Feng. "You're giving me a headache with all your shouting! I'm going to look into this matter immediately, and come to an understanding of all of this. Send for General How. I want his side of the story."

Silence fell over the throne room then as one of the Dai Li hesitantly left the room to go find the general, and Long Feng looked like he was being cornered by a giant saber-tooth moose lion. He then darted his gaze at me once more and his eyes burned into my own. King Kuei noticed his action, and raised a brow at him. "You seem greatly troubled by this young lady, Long Feng. I sense there _is_ something you're not telling me."

He grit his teeth in fury as he continued to lose the King's trust. "No, your highness. I have nothing to share."

Sokka spoke up. "He's just probably wishing he still had her locked up in his secret layer under the lake." He stepped next to me and put his arm protectively around my shoulders. "Well sorry to say this Long Feng, but you messed with the wrong family."

"Secret layer," King Kuei muttered. He looked at Long Feng as if he were seeing a stranger. "Is there anything else I need to know before General How gets here?"

Long Feng stepped back trying to keep calm, but the panic in his eyes said it all. He realized he was losing control. "There is no secret layer! These children are just trying to deceive you, and you're foolishly falling into their trap."

King Kuei's eyes narrowed more, but his irritation was directed towards his advisor. "So I'm a fool now? Is that why you keep things from me! Is that why it's taken a couple of kids for me to see the truth?"

I could see Long Feng had reached his boiling point. "YES! You are a fool! You choose to listen to the enemy's son and allow him to waltz around the throne room as a guest!" He pointed at Zuko as he spoke. "Meanwhile this wretch," his finger moved towards me, "presents you with a letter that you don't question for a single moment. And above all else, you are completely ignoring the advice of your advisor just because the Avatar comes into your presence! I will call you a fool for such insanity! I didn't spend eighteen years keeping order in this city and the war out for six kids to come in and take it all away from me!"

His eruption had happened. He was outraged by his loss of control over the King, and he had officially cracked. I smiled weakly with victory, and felt comfort when I saw Earth King Kuei was horrified by Long Feng's confession.

The King's eyes narrowed again, and his fists clenched. "DAI LI! ARREST HIM!"

At the King's order, the Dai Li had a moment of hesitation. Then two men unwillingly stepped forward and grabbed his arms. As they restrained him, Long Feng shouted, "You are a fool, your highness! I am your most trusted advisor! You can't believe these kids over me!"

The King jabbed his finger at him once more. "Get him out of here! All his shouting is making Bosco restless!" Staring over at the bear, I saw Bosco's attention was on licking his paw absentmindedly.

The Dai Li dragged Long Feng away, and the man struggled as he went. "I'll be back! You brats won't get away with this!"

Sokka smirked. "Looks like Long Feng is _long_ gone!"

As Long Feng was removed from the room, and quiet fell over us, I saw the King return to his seat with a deep sigh. As he sunk down in disbelief, Aang stepped over to speak to him. While their conversation commenced, I blurred out everything as I focused on staying upright. My body was done. Since the danger was removed literally, and the fight had ceased, the adrenaline inside me was no longer pumping.

"Very well. Once General How gets here I will go with you to the outer wall and see this drill you speak of, Avatar Aang. Then we will reconvene and discuss further action. First, I wish to meet the giant bison you speak of! I love meeting new exotic creatures!"

The King's words brought me back to present. He had stood from his throne and pet Momo who sat on Aang's shoulder with a smile. I noticed Toph whisper something to Sokka. He looked back at me, and then spoke something to Zuko who was paying attention to the King and Aang with curiosity. At whatever Sokka spoke, Zuko nodded in reply.

Aang headed over to us, smiling with relief. "Looks like we did it! The king's on board! And better yet, since Zuko is part of the group now the King feels we may have an advantage to the war!"

Zuko stayed quiet, seeming to become distracted by his thoughts. He nodded though to let Aang know he was on board. I could tell by the troubled expression that he was nervous though. He was about to betray his family… From personal experience, I knew such an action wasn't easy. Stepping over to him, I placed a hand on his shoulder to reassure him. He smiled over at me with thanks.

"Oh. I also asked the King if we could rest here for the night. Seeing as Toph had a little too much fun with the wall at our place… He said it was fine and he would have someone make repairs," Aang spoke again. I was confused by his statement, but decided I'd ask later about the damage he spoke of.

Zuko smiled. "Looks like there are perks to being in the Avatar's group after all."

Katara scowled. "I still don't like having you in the group."

Toph smirked. "You'll get it over it Sugar Queen."

Some time passed, and finally General How arrived in the King's chamber. During that time the King had met Appa, and also gotten information about the war from some of his council members. He was outraged by them all for not telling him about the war outside of his city, but calmed down when he learned they didn't do so due to Long Feng's threats. The more he learned about Long Feng, the more he realized he truly had been a fool to trust him.

General How was currently having a private meeting with the King. He was a very strong man and around my father's age. He seemed to have a lot of experience with battle as well. As he told the King about the war, we all sat around in the throne room eating some food that had been granted to us by the servants. The food was truly a gift after being famished for so long. Once King Kuei and General How returned to the room, the King told us he was ready to see the Drill we had destroyed upon first arriving to the city.

"Sure! We can get there on Appa!" Aang exclaimed.

The Earth King was thrilled at the thought. Toph, however, was horrified. "Um… You all go ahead. I'll stay here with Crys."

Zuko nodded. "Yeah. I'll do the same."

Part of me wanted to argue that they were forcing me to stay behind, but I knew from the pain and heaviness in my body that they were doing what was best for me. I hadn't slept in forever, and I would just slow everyone down if I went with them.

"I'll have someone take you to the area where you'll be staying for the night," the King spoke. A female servant approached at the wave of his hand, and gestured for us to follow her. As Toph and Zuko started to go, I turned to Sokka grabbing his arm.

"Come get me as soon as your back."

Sokka grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Chill out, Crys. The hardest part is over. Go rest with the other two before you collapse on me." I looked at him with uncertainty. There was still a feeling inside me that something was going to go wrong. Although we had Appa now, and the Earth King's attention, the Dai Li were still probably loyal to Long Feng. I had a feeling our work was just beginning.

With defeat, I turned and followed the other two as the servant led us out of the throne room and into the inner chambers of the palace. Arriving at a wooden door a few halls later, the woman opened it to reveal a large sitting area. There were cushions in the center of the room around a low wooden table. A green rug with yellow patterns decorated the floor, and paintings of Earth Kingdom scenes furnished the walls. Food and refreshments were on the low table with empty plates and cups. Past the elaborate sitting area was another set of doors that led to connected rooms. The woman gave us a small tour, opening one of the doors to reveal a large washroom and another to reveal a room with three fine cushioned sleeping mats on the floor.

"We will retrieve more sleeping mats for you all. The King is happy to have you as his guests. If you need anything, please ask," the woman spoke, bowing to us politely. She then turned and left the room to give us privacy. As soon as she was gone, Toph beamed with delight.

"Yes! Royal treatment at last!" Toph plopped down on one of the cushions in the room and grabbed a grape from the table. As she did so, Zuko watched her with amusement.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I ran a hand through my hair which was in desperate need of a brush. Zuko noticed my actions, and nudged me towards the washroom. "Why don't you go wash up first? You need it more than me."

I didn't argue. Giving a small smile, I headed into the washroom and shut the door behind. As soon as the door was shut, I let out a deep breath and leaned back on the door. Shutting my eyes, I tried to calm my thoughts which were racing from the events that passed in the last few days. Everything had come so quick at me, and I felt as though I was just beginning to register it all.

After a moment of silence, I walked over to the stone basin. Picking up a folded cloth, I pulled on the water pump which sent a stream of water into the container before me. Dipping the rag in the cool liquid once the basin was full, I pressed the rag to my face enjoying the moisture on my heavy eyelids. Without realizing, tears started to soak into the cloth as relief hit me all at once.

The King was listening to us. Long Feng was arrested. Appa was safe at last. Zuko had opened his eyes to the right path. Everything was going right for once in my life. I knew it wouldn't last with my luck, but I didn't dwell on that fact. Instead, I found the weight that bore me down for months was slowly lifted from my shoulders.

 **Third Person POV**

Toph sat in silence as she felt the vibrations of Crystals light steps in the washroom. She had felt her fall back against the door for support, and knew from the way she was holding herself now that she was crying. Zuko sighed heavily across the room as he sat against the wall in exhaustion.

"Can't believe we actually convinced the King," Toph spoke, trying to make conversation and give Crystal some privacy. "I thought for sure we were getting chucked in the dungeon."

The young prince was surprised she was speaking to him. He hadn't conversed with her so directly before, and his social anxiety flared up a bit. He only knew about her from what little interaction he'd had with the group in the last few hours, and also from what Crystal had told him. He tried his best to be social and make conversation though.

"It surprises me he knows nothing about his city… As a prince I was expected to learn about every inch of the Fire Nation," he muttered.

She fell back against the cushion behind her resting her hands behind her head and shutting her eyes. "With Long Feng constantly keeping him in the dark, I guess I can see how he would be so blind." She frowned. "My parents tried to shield me constantly from the outside world, but I managed to slip away and learn on my own."

Zuko pondered over her words. He decided to give small talk a try. "So… You were born blind then?"

She nodded. "Yep. I don't feel blind though when I'm on the ground. My feet help me see just fine."

He smiled weakly. "Crys told me about your ability. I can see why the Avatar picked you as his earthbending teacher."

She sat up and crossed her legs. "I was surprised when you agreed to be Aang's firebending teacher honestly. Everyone in the group said you seemed to be blind by restoring your honor and getting to go back home. What happened to change your mind? Finding out your related to Avatar Roku really had that much impact on you?"

Zuko's eyes shot over to the door that separated him from Crystal. He then lowered his eyes to his lap as he held the answer in his heart. "No. Finding out my ancestry did push me, but that wasn't the whole reason. The moment Long Feng tore Crystal away from me the other night, I forgot all about my father and honor. Losing her that night made me realize that I can't imagine my life without her. If I continue to be your enemy and chase after the Avatar, I know I can never fully have her. We'd just continue to be two worlds apart…"

A pause fell between them as Toph took this in. She then smirked. "You know… You and Princess are like those fairytales my personal tutor used to read out loud to me. They're going to write a tale about you one day. Maybe even have plays about you. Your story is going to be every lovers' dream."

Zuko blushed at her comment, crossing his arms. "After everything I did to her in the past though… I can't fathom why she still loves me."

Toph pondered over his words for a moment. Then she fell back on the pillow again shutting her eyes once more. "I want to say it's because of your good looks, but what would I know about that?" She then sighed. "No… Honestly prince boy… She saw the good in you before the rest of the group did. She told me that you're the one person she feels she can be herself with too."

He let Toph's words sink in. The door to the washroom opened before he could speak, and Crystal stepped out. Her eyes shot towards his and she gave him a tired smile. "The king definitely likes to flaunt his wealth… I haven't seen a washroom like that since we were at the spa Iroh took us to."

Toph's ears perked up. "A spa! You never told me you partied it up with the prince!"

Zuko grimaced. "Wasn't much of a party… Azula showed up."

Crystal sighed heavily. "Yeah… That was our luck…" She then stepped over to the center of the room. "So I guess now we just sit around and wait."

Standing from where he'd been seated, Zuko ran a hand through his hair as he spoke once again. "I don't think the others will be back for a while. You should go get some sleep."

"I'm okay," she spoke. "I'll sleep when the others get back."

She went to sit near Toph, but was stopped by Zuko's sudden grasp. He'd walked over to her as she was speaking knowing she was going to be stubborn.

"Hey!" She whined as Zuko pulled her back to her feet and forced her away from Toph towards the door beside the washroom. "Zuko! I'm fine!"

Toph listened to it all with surprise and amusement. She didn't jump in though. She'd promised Sokka she'd help Zuko make sure Crystal got the rest she needed.

Zuko opened the door and pulled the struggling waterbender into the room. Then he released her arm and shut the door to block her escape. He knew she was going to be stubborn the moment she found out she wasn't allowed to go with her family to show the king the drill. He hadn't expected her stubbornness would show itself by her refusal to go to sleep.

"If I go to sleep now then I won't wake up later when the others arrive," she whined. "I know none of you intend to wake me up… I'm not stupid." She then muttered. "If anyone should sleep then it's you… You were up all night looking for me…"

Zuko was amused by her defense, but he kept composed. "I'm used to long hours of no sleep. I spent three years searching for the Avatar, remember?" He leaned back on the door with a smirk. "Are you really going to argue about this? Anyone in your position would be throwing themselves down on that cot right now."

She rolled her eyes. "Well I'm not anyone." She stepped forward to try and shove past him. He remained where he was and didn't budge when she tried to push him aside.

"No… You're stubborn." He watched as she backed away with defeat after trying to shove him aside and failing. "Don't make me have to tuck you in."

"Move aside and you won't have to," she tried. "Stop playing around Zuko… I'm too tired to argue." She went to shove him aside again, but this time he met her halfway and grabbed her around the waist. She was surprised by his sudden contact, and then gasped when he scooped her up into his arms.

"Hey! Zuko!" She tried to twist from his arms, but he ignored her. "Put me down!"

He smiled. "Okay." He hovered her over the cot on the floor and dropped her. She shrieked as she landed on the padded cushion below her. While she was momentarily stunned, Zuko turned and headed towards the door. Grabbing the handle, he looked back at her puzzled expression to say, "Don't make me get the earthbender replace this door with a stone one." He opened it and stepped out, shutting the door behind. To his relief, she didn't follow him outside.

Crystal sat up on the cot and stared at the shut door with both surprise and understanding. She knew Zuko was worried about her health, but she couldn't believe he'd actually dragged her into the room to make her sleep. With a deep sigh, she fell back on the cot allowing herself to sink into the soft mattress. It had been the longest day of her life, and although she really wanted to stay awake to see her family get back, she was too tired to resist the thought of sleep.

"Fine… You win this once," she whispered. Rolling on her side due to the pain in her back from Long Feng's attack a few hours ago, she let out a deep sigh as she shut her eyes.

Toph smiled when she felt through the stone floor that Crystal's body had finally gone still on the mat. Zuko was still leaning against the door to make sure she didn't come out.

"It's all good prince boy. She's asleep," Toph promised.

Zuko gave a deep breath of relief and stepped away from the door. Walking over to the cushions in the room, he sat on one opposite of Toph. "She's so stubborn," he muttered. He rubbed his eyes which were heavy from exhaustion.

"Yeah… That is how she got captured by you originally though… She didn't listen to her brother and attacked you at the South Pole."

Zuko grimaced remembering the first time he got a taste of Crystal's waterbending.

"I heard she got you good that day," Toph commented. "You must've been super embarrassed getting knocked down by a girl in front of all your soldiers."

Zuko dropped his eyes feeling embarrassed by her comment. He could recall members of his crew laughing about the encounter months ago.

"Hey! I guess you could say Princess _literally_ knocked you off your feet!" Toph beamed at her own pun. "Man, I'm good! Take that Sokka!" She started to laugh, and Zuko was surprised by her joke. He smiled though, starting to enjoy the earthbenders company. Crystal had told him about Toph's playful nature. He had a feeling now as he got to know her she would be the life of the group.

He was curious to see what the future held for him being with Crystal and the group.

* * *

 **A/N: I always felt Toph and Zuko should've had more interactions in the show. So here's a little one I created. Thanks for reading!**


	40. Family Conflictions

**Crystal POV**

"Crys!"

"No! That's my final answer! Stop asking me!"

Crossing my arms, I looked away from my brother and sister immediately knowing they would try to guilt me into going. They'd been trying to for the last two hours. Zuko stood against the wall watching the argument unfold before him anxiously. He didn't want me to go either, but he kept his mouth shut to not make matters worse. Toph and Aang seemed uncertain if they should say anything as they watched the disagreement unfold.

"You're being ridiculous!" Sokka held his hands up in the air in frustration. "It's been three years since we've seen him! You can't skip out on this!"

Darting my eyes to the map that Sokka had set on the table, I saw the black mark where the Southern Water Tribe Warriors were camped by Chameleon Bay. Only an hour earlier I'd woken from my much needed sleep to find the group was rested themselves. They'd returned to the palace last night having successfully shown the king remnants of the war and proof of Long Feng's deception. The King in return had General How search Long Feng's office and find files on everyone in Ba Sing Se. The files he found on all of us had valuable information: Toph received a letter from her mom; Aang received a note from a Guru who wanted to train him; and Sokka, Katara, and I received a map to our father.

"Crys! We have to go together! Dad will be elated to see us!" Katara held her hands together in plea.

Backing from the table and from my family, I stayed firm. "I said I'm not going. Have you all forgotten that I'm a traitor to the Water Tribe? The last thing I want is a scolding from father. Plus…" I cringed as my stomach twisted in a knot. "You and I are sixteen now, Sokka…"

A moment of silence fell over the room as this information sunk in. Sokka was surprised and so were the rest of the group.

Aang was astounded. Once he found his voice again, he asked, "What? When did that happen?"

Rubbing my arms, I answered softly, "The full moon last night marked our sixteenth year."

Aang beamed. "WHAT?! Then we should all celebrate before we leave this afternoon! Let's have a huge breakfast! No! Scratch breakfast! We'll have a huge feast for lunch to celebrate!"

Hanging my head, I thought back to my father's words so long ago.

 _"It's already been decided Crystal," Father snapped, tying up his bag to head out to the boats for his departure. "I don't understand why you're acting like this!"_

 _"You can't do this to me! I'm not marrying him when I'm sixteen! You can't make me!" I stomped my foot causing the walls of the igloo to shake. Father didn't notice as he was busy trying to avoid my eyes. "This isn't fair!"_

 _"Marriage isn't the end of the world. Your brother and sister will both eventually marry themselves. Besides, you have three years before you have to worry about that." He stood straight and turned to meet my gaze. "Areto is a kind and caring young man though. I see no reason why you should be so against marrying him. He's a handsome fellow too. Other girls younger than you would kill to be his bride."_

 _"I don't care! I already told you yesterday that I don't have feelings for him! I'm not marrying him just because you want to tie Bato's family line with ours. This is madness!"_

 _Father defended himself. "It has nothing to do with that." He tried to take a deep breath and calm down. "I only want you to be taken care of in the future, Crystal… Areto is willing to accept your hand. Why can't you accept his?"_

 _Tears formed in my eyes as frustration filled me. "I don't love him! Mom always said I'll know who I want to be with for the rest of my life. I don't see myself with Areto like you want me to. Why can't you get that?"_

 _The sound of the horn filled the area calling for the warriors to make their ways to the boats. Father turned from me to grab his bag. "You have three years to change your mind. If in that time you find another young man from the water tribe to sweep you off your feet I'll change my mind. That's unlikely though… He's the closest one to your age, and he's been by your side since you were an infant." He walked over to me and gently grabbed my chin to force my eyes on his. "Everything I do is for your own good. You may not believe me now, but in ten years you'll be thanking me. I know you'll come to your senses."_

 _I ripped from his hands and rushed out of our home, shouting as I went, "You know nothing about me!"_

"The only celebration I want is to stay here in Ba Sing Se. I really don't think it's a good idea to see dad right now…"

"Crys… Dad's not going to force you to marry right on the spot," Katara tried. "There are other things to worry about. I doubt he'll have that on his mind when he sees us."

Looking over at Zuko, I saw he didn't seem reassured by Katara's words either. He met my gaze, and I could see he desperately wanted me to stay with him. Looking back at my sister, I spoke again with resolve. "The Earth King needs one of us to deliver the plans to him once General How and the others have it written up. Zuko volunteered to stay, and I volunteer to stay with him. I thought this would make you happy? You were already against Zuko being the one to deliver the plans earlier. Now I'll be doing so with him."

"You're being ridiculous," Katara snapped. "And if you think for one second I'm letting you stay here with him then you're crazy!" She pointed over at Zuko still showing spite towards him.

"Toph will be here a good amount of the time. It's not like we're alone," I stated. "And besides… It's not the first time I've been alone with him either." I glanced over at Toph when I heard her snicker and mutter something under her breath. Sokka glowered at her so I knew what she muttered hadn't been appropriate.

"And what am I supposed to tell dad when he asks where you are?" She put her hands on her hips to try and remain firm. "Do I say you're off with the Fire Lord's son avoiding him?"

I frowned in dismay. "Yep… Might as well be honest."

Sokka finally intervened with a deep sigh. "Okay… Let's forget about this. I'll stay too and you can go Katara. Clearly we're going to get nowhere with this."

Katara was surprised by Sokka's words. She frowned, not wanting to disappoint Sokka. "No… That wouldn't be fair…" She paused trying to calm her frustration. "Fine… Crys can stay…" She looked over at Toph. "I mean… Toph will be in the city technically…"

"Chillax Sugar Queen. I'll babysit the lovebirds." Toph stepped over and smacked me on the back. "Your sister is in good hands. There will be a kiss free zone while you're gone."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "You all act like all we do is kiss."

Sokka cringed. "Let's hope that's all you do."

"Wait…" Aang spoke up again. "Are we not celebrating then?" His lips turned into a pout of disappointment.

Katara sighed. "I suppose we could go to a shop outside the palace and grab some grub before we all go our separate ways. It would be nice to have the group together for a little longer."

Aang jumped with thrill. "Yes! Great! I'll let the Earth King know! Maybe he'll have a recommendation!" Aang raced out of the guest room we were all in with excitement.

Zuko stepped over to the group then, saying, "If it makes everyone feel better, I received word this morning that my Uncle has gotten a new Tea Shop in the upper ring. We can go stay with him until you all get back." He looked down at the ground. "He won't mind the company."

His words didn't seem to ease Katara's mind, but Sokka seemed to relax at the thought of a chaperone. "That wouldn't be such a bad idea… The Dai Li still aren't a hundred percent trustworthy in my book, so I'd rather you guys were with someone else…"

Toph smirked. "You just don't want them alone together for too long."

I blushed and so did Zuko.

Sokka grimaced and looked displeased. "You blame me?"

Toph scoffed. "Geez! Chill, Sokka. You know Princess and loverboy aren't like that."

He let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah… I guess so…" Then he looked at Zuko with a hard gaze. "We'll be gone for a week. Make sure she stays out of trouble."

"Hey!" I crossed my arms. "I'm not a troublemaker, Sokka! It's not my fault Long Feng decided to target me the other day."

"Well," Toph began. "You _are_ prone to getting captured from what I understand. First it was Zuko, and then those waterbender dudes. It was only a matter of time you became the damsel in distress again."

With a huff, I snapped, "I was doing just fine on my own!"

"Really?" Katara spoke up. "That mark on your back I healed this morning said different. I was surprised you could still stand after that blow."

"What? How bad is the mark?" Sokka asked with worry. He directed his question towards Katara, knowing I wouldn't give an honest answer.

"She got bruised up pretty bad. Any harder a hit could've damaged her spine. She'll heal, but not right away," Katara answered.

"I'm standing right here," I muttered. "And I can reassure you _all_ that it's no big deal."

"Yeah," Toph spoke, suddenly coming up from behind me. "Princess is great!" She tapped her finger on my back sending a vibration of pain through my muscles. I cringed and jerked away from her, shooting her a glare as I did. She shrugged. "Can't lie to me."

Zuko came to my side placing a hand on my shoulder to force me to meet his gaze. "Are you hurting still?"

I brushed his hand off gently, feeling slightly ganged up on. "Stop worrying about me, everyone. It's just a bruise. I'm already feeling better anyway."

Thankfully Aang came back a few moments later saying there was a restaurant right outside the palace that served delicious pastries and soup. Aang was also thrilled to learn from the king that the place was full vegetarian. Zuko looked dismayed at the thought of a meatless meal, but he kept it within himself not wanting to complain to the group he was trying to become accepted by. The King had kindly given us some money for the meal, saying it was a gift for our service to the city. When we arrived at the restaurant which had female greeters on the outside, and a harp player inside, we quickly forgot about the last twenty-four hours and enjoyed each other's company. Katara still refused to talk or even associate herself with Zuko, but I was relieved to find Aang, Sokka, and Toph were warming up to him.

"So you've really been to the Western Temple! That's so cool! That place housed the female airbenders over a hundred years ago."

Zuko grimaced at the mention of other airbenders, staring down at the table to avoid everyone's gaze. "Yeah… But it's empty now…"

Katara lowered her spoon from her mouth, burning a hole into Zuko's face with her eyes. "Wonder how _that_ happened…"

Looking down at my half touched plate of rice and beans, I defended him. "Katara… That was a hundred years ago. Zuko had nothing to do with the genocide. He wasn't even born…"

Katara scoffed, shoving another spoonful of beans into her mouth. Aang noticed the tension was starting, and changed the subject. "So tell us what it's like to live in a palace, Zuko! Did you get waited on hand and foot?"

Zuko smiled weakly, glad Aang was trying to keep the lunch light. "Not all the time. When my mom was around she tried to make me do a lot on my own. She wanted to teach me responsibility, so I usually was the one to straighten my room and dress myself. The servants only stepped in when a special dinner or party came around… After my mom disappeared though, I turned a little bitter and sought to be spoiled… I suppose I was trying to fill a hole in my heart…"

I frowned remembering the story Zuko told me about his mother. I placed my hand over his own which gripped the table, and he weakly smiled at me in thanks.

"Funny..." Katara spoke up breaking the friendly air again. "Is your mom sob story how you won Crystal over?"

I felt my stomach twist a bit at my sister's accusation. Her blow towards Zuko was uncalled for. Zuko grimaced and hung his head as pain filled his heart from her attack.

"Katara… Knock it off," Sokka ordered, stopping from his next bite to intervene. "That's a little too far."

She shrugged, crossing her arms and sitting back against her chair. "I'm just still trying to understand the relationship these two have with one another. I honestly think Crystal picking to stay with the Fire Lord's son over seeing dad is a slap in the face."

Toph tried to save the meal, but I knew it was already going downhill. "Chill out Sugar Queen. You didn't say that when I chose you all over _my_ parents weeks ago. Besides… I don't see what the big deal is. I've been checking for the last twenty-four hours if he's lying like you wanted me too, and so far he's been a hundred percent honest."

My eyes widened. Looking at my sister with disbelief, I asked, "You've had Toph spying on Zuko?"

She defended herself. "I wanted to make sure Aang was safe! I can't trust him no matter how much you want me to!"

My heart stung. "Then trust me!" I stood pushing my chair back. The room fell quiet as other men and women turned to see the confrontation. "I know him more than you!"

Katara stood also to try and stand firm in her resolve. "You think you know him, but that's only because your smitten with him! If you weren't so taken by him you'd feel the exact same way!"

My fists tightened as her words irritated me. "You don't know me, Katara!"

She leaned forward pointing a finger at me. "I do know you! I've been your sister for almost fifteen years! How could I not know you?"

"Excuse me," a server spoke, walking over to us. "Could you take this outside? Some of the other guests are uncomfortable."

"Sorry, sir." Sokka stood. "We were just leaving." He walked over to Katara and grabbed her arm to pull her out of the restaurant. He used his other hand to grab my arm too. "Come on you two."

As we were jerked out of the room, I could faintly hear Aang ask, "Should we follow?"

Zuko was the one to answer. "No… Give them some space."

Once we were out in the sunlight, Katara jerked from Sokka and scowled. "You left Aang in there with him! He could attack!"

"Toph's in there. It-"

I cut Sokka off snapping at Katara, "He's not like that! He's changed. Why can't you give him a chance?"

"Changed?! The Fire Lord's son doesn't change overnight!"

Sokka let out a deep sigh. "Calm down both of you! There's no reason to be so upset at one another."

"Yes there is!" Katara held up her index finger to count off her list. "First Crys falls for the Fire Lord's son! Then she ends up saving his butt at the North Pole, and when she returns to us she leaves again to go hangout with him in the lower ring! She's completely forgotten her family!"

My heart stung at her accusation. "I haven't for one second forgotten about any of you! I didn't spend days in the lower ring to just be with Zuko! I searched and searched for Appa! I had only one thought on my mind, and that was to find our friend!"

Katara pointed a finger at the shop door. "Yet you're more willing to stay with the Fire Lord's son than see father? Explain that one!"

Tears fell from her eyes, and I knew my own tears were escaping as well. "This has nothing to do with choosing Zuko over my family!"

She shook her head. "No! This has to do with you wanting to rebel against dad! Admit it!"

"If father wants to see me so terribly he can come here to Ba Sing Se! I'm not going to a camp surrounded by members of the council who will seek a punishment for my disobedience and treachery!"

"No one will punish you! They'll understand," Katara snapped. "You're not a traitor!

I shook my head. "They'll never understand. They'll only see me as a problem! They'll send me back home so that I can never see Zuko again! I know father! The moment he learns about my relationship with Zuko, all he'll think is that I've been brainwashed! He'll tell me to go home. I'm tired of him telling me what to do! I'm not an injured little girl anymore! I can handle myself just fine!"

"No one's ever thought of you that way," Katara commented, but her words were a lie to every ear.

"No one, huh? I can name plenty." I pictured the sympathetic expressions from the villagers around me. I imagined Gran Gran and her pain-filled eyes whenever she saw my scar. I saw father and his unmatchable gaze. He would take one look at my face and look away with agony. I knew I was the reason he'd left us in the first place. I was no fool. Looking at me every day reminded him of his failure to protect mom. "Why else would father have been so quick to leave?"

"Crys…" Sokka spoke again, trying to calm the tension and reassure me. "That's not true. He left to protect us."

Shaking my head, I recalled what my father had spoken to my Gran Gran so long ago:

" _That scar is a reminder of my failure to protect this tribe and family. It's a memory of the woman I lost… The woman I once loved more than anything in the land. If I stay here and see that mark any longer, I fear I may lose myself to both anger and grief…"_

"My scar reminds him of his _failure_ to protect us. The longer he looks at me, the worse he feels about himself."

"Dad loves you!" Katara grabbed my shoulders and shook me. "Bato told us not a day goes by that dad doesn't worry about all three of us!"

I frowned, meeting her eyes which bore into me. As her words sunk in, I tried to calm my nerves. Taking in a heavy breath, I spoke with a leveled tone. "I never said he didn't love me… I know he does…" After a short pause, I spoke again. "But I also know that as long as this scar paints my face he'll always see me as someone who needs constant protection. Why else do you think he wants me married off before the rest of you? Areto's a strong warrior with years of fighting under his sleeve. If father could pick anyone to be my _husband_ it would be him. Having Areto to protect me for the rest of my life puts his mind at ease."

Katara was speechless by my reveal, and Sokka looked to ponder over my words with understanding. As silence fell over us, I looked away from their gaze to stare at the palace walls which loomed nearby.

"Don't get me wrong…" I swallowed to find my voice again. "I do miss dad… Not wanting to see him has nothing to do with hating him or _never_ wanting to see him again. I'm just not ready to fight with him about my own future at the moment." I looked back at my brother and sister with plea. "Just give me some time. That's all I ask…"

Katara opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped realizing she didn't want to argue with me any longer. Letting out a heavy sigh, she crossed her arms and nodded. Dropping her gaze, her face fell with guilt. "Fine…" She met my eyes once more. "I'm sorry I jumped on you like that... I was out of line. It's just been a long time since we've been together as a full family. I guess I miss that feeling."

"We _will_ have that again," I promised. "Just not right at this moment. I swear once all this fighting and plotting ends I'll face father. Just be patient with me."

Sokka threw an arm around me, reminding both Katara and I of his presence. "You got it, sis. We'll let dad know you're okay. He'll probably be elated to hear you actually joined us after being away for so many months anyway. And I'll talk to him about this whole Areto ordeal. He'll come around."

I smiled weakly. "Thanks, Sokka. That means a lot."

"So… You all aren't killing each other I see," Toph suddenly spoke from behind. We looked back to see Aang, Zuko, and her walking towards us with relief. "These two were fidgeting for the last five minutes. They thought you were having a full battle out here." She stopped beside us. "But of course you all are lovey-dovey siblings who work out your problems."

Sokka smirked. "You know Toph… You're also like a little sister to me. Come here, sissy!" He stepped forward, but Toph was two steps ahead of him. She stomped her foot down and the ground shot up around his foot stopping him from his advance. As he stumbled and tried to jerk his foot out with a grunt, Toph gestured for us to follow. "Come on everyone. We should get back to the palace so you all can head off on your journeys."

As we followed Toph, Sokka whined from behind, "Oh come on, Toph! I was only kidding about the hug!"

When we finally returned to the palace, Appa was ready for flight with Momo hanging out on his horn. Servants brought food and supplies for the journey in bags Aang and Sokka could carry on their back, while the King pet Appa goodbye. As I chat with Aang about the temple he was going to visit, I saw from the corner of my eyes Sokka and Katara whispering amongst one another. Zuko, who stood next to Toph, looked over at them with question as well. We both knew they were discussing me again.

"You should totally check it out some time! You would love it! There are so many different plants and animals there," Aang exclaimed.

I smiled. "Tell me all about it when you get back."

"I will!"

Sokka and Katara approached then, and I could see Sokka looked disapproving. "So… There's been a change of plans… Turns out Katara is staying now too."

I looked at my sister with disbelief. "What? Why?"

Katara glanced over at Zuko, and shrugged, "I just don't think it's right to ditch you after just getting back with you. Dad will understand."

Toph approached with Zuko following silently behind. "Did I hear correct? You're not going now?"

Katara nodded. "Crys is right. We'll see dad again in the future. He won't be happy if both Sokka and I left her alone in Ba Sing Se."

Aang frowned. "Aw… I was looking forward to your company."

Katara smiled over at him. "You'll be back in no time."

He rubbed the back of his neck and stepped closer to Katara. He started to whisper something that the rest of us couldn't hear. Sokka didn't get the picture and walked over throwing his arm around Aang's neck, cutting him off.

"Alright! Who's ready to get going on our little men-only man trip then?" He gave Aang a noogie on the head, and Aang cringed from the interruption and the gesture.

The Earth King approached asAang was still in Sokka's headlock. "I wish you good journey." Sokka wheeled Aang around as he still restrained him with his arm. "Ba Sing Se owes you its thanks, and we look forward to your return." Sokka released Aang, and they both bowed with respect.

"Be careful you two," I begged. "Don't take too long."

Sokka came forward giving me a tight hug. "We'll be back in a week. You all keep an eye on one another too." He turned then and headed over to Appa to climb on board. Just as he started up though, a guard approached with some news.

"Your Majesty. There are three female warriors here to see you. They're from the island of Kyoshi."

At the guard's words, Sokka was shocked, "That's Suki!" He fell from Appa and landed on his butt. Scrambling to his feet, he looked over at the King with a grin.

The King raised a curious brow. "You know these warriors?"

"Oh yeah. The Kyoshi warriors are a skilled group of fighters, trust worthy too. They're good friends of ours."

The King seemed pleased with Sokka's confirmation. "Then we shall welcome them as honored guests."

Aang nodded, thanking the king. As he turned to head off towards Appa, Katara rushed over. "Aang! Wait!"

She threw her arms around Aang just as he turned back to her, and then kissed him on the cheek. I was surprised, as were Sokka and Zuko at the sudden affection.

Toph spoke up then, saying as she rubbed her neck in embarrassment, "I'm really going to miss you guys."

I was surprised by her admittance, but nodded in agreement. Katara and Aang agreed too, and threw their arms around Toph to say goodbye. Sokka stood to the side, looking hopeful that he would avoid the hug. He wasn't lucky though, because the three of them stepped over and threw their arms around him. He stumbled from their embrace. As this happened, Zuko stepped over to me and nudged me with his elbow.

He then whispered in my ear, "Your sister really doesn't trust me."

I frowned, knowing that was definitely why she was staying behind. "She'll come around… She just takes a little bit…"

He sighed. "I suppose I can't blame her… I did throw her around back at the North Pole a while ago. It's going to take some time to gain her trust after all of that."

"Maybe some of your Uncle's tea will help to smooth her over."

He seemed to contemplate my suggestion. "Yeah… That's definitely worth a try."

"Bye Zuko! Bye Crys!" Aang rushed over and grabbed us both into a hug. Zuko was frozen in shock at the young Avatar's physical contact. I tried to hide my amusement, but I was entertained by Zuko's flustered expression.

"See you, Aang," I spoke. "I hope the Guru teaches you some valuable lessons."

He pulled away with a nod. "He will! Gurus are wise!"

"Aang! Come on! We have to go," Sokka shouted from Appa's bareback. "The day will be over soon."

Aang nodded, and then with a final wave he raced over to Appa. Jumping up with a blast of air, he landed on Appa's neck and grabbed the giant bison's reins. "Yip yip!" Appa shot off into the sky, groaning as he enjoyed his freedom from the prison he had been in days before. As they disappeared into the light of the sun, the King told us that he had a carriage ready to take us to where we'd be staying for the week. Our original living quarters were still in the process of being repaired, so Iroh had offered us a place to stay at his new home. Katara was completely uncomfortable with the idea, but she didn't argue knowing her only other option was to sleep in a building with three walls. When we got to the carriage which was similar to the one Joo Dee had carted us through the city with when we first arrived, the male driver opened the door for us to enter.

"Nice special treatment," Toph commented. "I like it."

Once Toph got into the carriage, Katara gestured for Zuko and I to go first. Zuko shook his head and gestured for her to take the lead. She narrowed her eyes and stepped back crossing her arms. In disbelief, I shook my head at the scene before me.

"Ladies first," Zuko spoke.

Katara scoffed. "Shouldn't a Prince go first?"

"No. That's not how it works," Zuko muttered.

"Sorry! Don't mean to break your Prince etiquette," she snapped. "I'd rather go last though so I can keep an eye on you."

"There's no need. I'm not going to attack you," Zuko snapped.

"Will both of you just get in!" Toph shouted from inside. "I was first anyway! Princess can be last! There! Problem solved!"

Katara huffed and climbed up onto the carriage. As she got in, Zuko let out a deep sigh and looked downhearted. I could tell he was trying to earn everyone's trust in the group. I smiled at him in encouragement, and he nodded to let me know he wasn't giving up. As he got into the carriage, I glanced back at the direction that Aang and Sokka had taken off towards moments before. I hoped their journey would be safe and smooth.

A few hours later we were in the back of Iroh's brand new giant tea shop. The shop was attached to his living quarters, which turned out to be much larger than the apartment they were staying in at the lower ring. Iroh was thrilled to have guests, and he served us all some tea and pastries for dinner. As he did so, Katara began to warm up some to the man she at first only saw as brother to the Fire Lord. She even started to have conversations with him about his time in battle, which surprised me immensely. Zuko and Toph both seemed relieved to find she was actually settling in instead of complaining the whole time.

While the group continued to converse, I stared down at the small cake Iroh had put before me with distracted thoughts. I worried about the others while they were away on their trip. I didn't know much about Gurus, but Aang was going in order to learn about the Avatar state. I'd seen him in the Avatar state before, and I was worried he'd hurt himself trying to mess with it. Sokka being with the warriors concerned me as well. I knew for him my worries were irrational though. Sokka would never abandon us to stay with the warriors. No matter how much he wanted to be with dad and the southern warriors, he knew getting back to Katara and I was important.

"Crystal… Everything alright?" Iroh spoke from across the table, and I could see he had noticed my mind was no longer in the room. It was when he spoke that I noticed Zuko's hand was on my arm to try and bring me back to present. Looking around, I could see Toph and Katara had fallen quiet with worry too.

"Oh… Yeah… I'm alright," I promised. "Just thinking about Sokka and Aang. They should be at their destinations by now."

Zuko brushed my hair behind my ear suddenly. The gesture was always comforting. "They'll be fine. We'll see them soon," he promised.

I nodded, but there was still a feeling inside me that something was going to go wrong. I hoped I was wrong.

That same night Katara went with Toph to drop her off at the place her mother was staying in Ba Sing Se. While they were gone, Iroh asked me what had happened with the Dai Li. He had been worried sick about me, and was glad Zuko and the others had gotten me back in one piece.

When he heard I found Appa, and that I'd tried to escape only to be apprehended by Long Feng once more, he sighed heavily. "You should not fight when you are outnumbered, Crystal. Although the effort is brave, the risk is far more severe."

I frowned. "Long Feng wouldn't have killed me. And besides… I hate feeling useless. I wasn't giving up for a second. I owed Appa after everything the poor guy went through."

Iroh let out a deep sigh. "I'm just glad you're okay… You're like a daughter to me. If anything were to happen to you, I would be devastated."

I smiled weakly. "Thanks, Iroh. That means a lot." Looking down at the table, I wondered if my father felt the same way.

 **Third Person POV**

The morning sun broke over the eastern horizon, shining gold light on the ripples of the bay. Hakoda embraced his son with strong arms, both of them standing inside the large tent that stood center stage in the southern water tribe encampment. Hakoda was relieved to see Sokka was healthy and strong. He hadn't seen his son in almost three years, and the physical change had taken him completely off guard. To Sokka, nothing much had changed of his father except the length of Hakoda's hair and a few battle scars.

"My son… It's so good to see you. I've been so worried." He pulled away slightly from Sokka, glancing him over one last time just to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "But where is Katara? Why is she not with you? And have you heard about Crystal? Is she alright?"

Sokka had expected to be bombarded with questions. He gestured for his father to sit on the fur pelts below them. As they both sat with their legs crossed, Sokka took in a deep breath. "To answer your first question, Katara is in Ba Sing Se. She chose to stay behind to make sure the war plans are delivered safely to the Earth King. There's an eclipse that's happening, and the eclipse is essential for us. With this opportunity, firebenders will be powerless, and we'll have the ability to attack full on."

Hakoda was bewildered by this information. "How on earth did you discover this? I've heard nothing about an eclipse."

He smiled. "One story at a time, dad. Although you'll be thrilled to find that I didn't get eaten by the giant spirit owl after finding out about the eclipse." Hakoda's jaw dropped as he couldn't find the words to say. "Anyway, Katara stayed behind to make sure all was smooth. As for Crystal, she's with Katara in Ba Sing Se, and she is perfectly fine."

Hakoda was relieved. "So your sister is okay? She's finally come to her senses about the Fire Lord's son being the enemy! That's such good news." He clutched his chin and closed his eyes with satisfaction. "I knew she'd come around. My daughter is no traitor after all."

Sokka cringed. "Well… There are some truths to what you say. But also some errors are in there as well…"

He looked at Sokka with surprise, and then a sense of unease fell over him. "What do you mean? Is she okay? What's happened?"

Letting out another deep breath, Sokka explained, "She's okay… I mean, she had been captured by the Dai Li and got a little bruised up, but she's feeling better…" He rubbed the back of his neck, not sure how to continue. "Actually… The Fire Lord's son joined our group to be Aang's firebending instructor. Crystal and Zuko are still a happy pair. That's another reason why Katara stayed. She didn't want them being alone for the week."

Hakoda stared at his son with utter disbelief. He couldn't believe his ears. The Fire Lord's son, and the very enemy that captured his little girl in the first place, was now allied with the Avatar and still sweeping Crystal off her feet?

"No… It can't be true."

Sokka shrugged. "I'm just as surprised about all of this as you. But turns out Zuko isn't the worse company. He helped me get Crystal back from the Dai Li, and has given us great advice on invading the Fire Nation. Oh, and get this!" Sokka beamed. "The dude's great-grandfather was Avatar Roku. Aang's his great-grandpappy reincarnated. That's so crazy!"

Hakoda didn't look at all amused like his son. Instead, he stood and began to pace the room with wild thoughts. "You mean to tell me that Crystal is still with the enemy's son?" He looked at Sokka with great disappointment. "What is she thinking? He's a firebender! He could hurt her! He's not one of us!"

"Dad!" Sokka stood. "Calm down."

He grabbed his son's shoulders. "This is unacceptable! I'm sending someone to Ba Sing Se right now to bring that girl here! I will not allow this." As Hakoda stormed towards the tent opening, Sokka grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Dad! Stop!" Hakoda came back to his senses, freezing mid-step from his retreat. "I know this wasn't the ideal future you planned for her, but she's happy. I haven't seen her this happy since mom died. Zuko's one of the best things that's happened to her in a long time."

He looked back at Sokka with narrowed eyes. "That girl doesn't know what's best for her! I do! The Fire Lord's son has managed to trick my daughter into believing he loves her, and now he's tricked my son too. I will not allow this absurd relationship to continue."

At first Sokka was close to backing down, but the fact his father was being so stubborn brought out the overprotective brother in him. "So what then? When you get Crystal are you going to drag her here, force her hand in marriage to Areto, and then ship her off back home to live the rest of her days as a pleasant little wife?" Sokka shook his head. "You don't know anything about Crystal. She's not the scared little girl you remember her as father. She's a strong waterbender with more courage than you can imagine. She's wise and her heart is pure. I can't believe I'm hearing so much disappointment from you. The _father_ I remember would at least hear Crys out and give her a chance."

Hakoda was appalled by his son's defense, and he fell silent in speechless wonder. He had never heard such opposition from his son before. Sokka had always taken care of his sisters, but he'd never done so in a way that defied his own father.

"Sokka…"

Sokka crossed his arms and continued to speak. "Crys was right not to come. She was afraid you'd ignore her and marry her off to Areto on the spot. Now I can see she was right to feel that way. If you love your daughter, then you'll have to accept that the feelings she has for Zuko are real. She hasn't been brainwashed, and she isn't doing this to you out of spite. They both clearly care for one another. I've seen it with my own eyes now."

Hakoda stared at his son in silence, trying to form his thoughts and his words. Then with a heavy sigh, Hakoda spoke once more. "I'm sorry Sokka… You're right… I shouldn't be blowing this so far out of proportion…" He stepped back into the center of the tent and sat back down. Looking down at the maps before him, he no longer wanted to discuss Crystal or the enemy's son. He knew his time with his son was short, and he didn't want the air to be tense. "We'll discuss your sister another time. Let's hear about you… Tell me about your time at the North Pole."

 **Crystal POV**

Pacing back and forth, I ran a hand through my hair as impatience fell over me. The morning had come, and then the afternoon, only to be followed by the evening. Toph had been gone a whole day now, and something felt unsettling to me.

"Crys! Stop pacing! We get the plans tomorrow, and then Sokka and Aang will be back in a few days. I don't see what has you so anxious."

Stopping in my step, I glanced over at Katara who was chilling out at the table trying to learn how to play Pai Sho. Iroh stared down at the board contemplating his next move, while Zuko meditated in the corner of the room. For most of the day Iroh kept us all distracted by helping him in his tea shop. Katara didn't mind making tea in the back while Zuko and I served tables up front. Iroh was grateful for the help, telling us that he would hire every single one of us if we ever wanted to work for him. Now the shop was closed for the day, and we were all back in Iroh's new living quarters. Since the distraction was gone, I felt anxious all over again.

"Things are just going way to smooth for us. We're having too much good luck. I just have this terrible feeling that something's going to go wrong."

A deep sigh from the corner of the room was heard. "With that attitude it will," Zuko said. "Do I have to tie you up before you burn a hole in the floor? Sit down."

I grimaced, trying to take his advice. However, sitting wasn't on my mind. Letting out a deep breath, I said, "Maybe I'll go get some fresh air or something."

"And get snatched up by the Dai Li again. I don't think so."

I rolled my eyes. "What could the Dai Li want with me now? We have Appa and the Earth King's trust. They no longer need leverage." Zuko stayed in his meditative pose as if he were ignoring me, but I knew he was listening. "I'm just going to stretch my legs. Maybe find a nice fountain to bend some water at."

As I turned to head out, Zuko let out a deep sigh and spoke again from behind. "I'll come too…" Movement sounded behind me, and the floor creaked as he walked over. "Last time I left you alone in the city you were dragged below a lake."

Hearing Zuko and I would be alone together, Katara panicked and jumped to her feet as well. "I'll go instead!"

Zuko groaned, knowing this was going to turn into a back and forth argument again.

"What's wrong? Upset I don't want you alone with my sister? Don't know why you're so surprise-"

"Hey Zuko," I cut her off, not wanting to hear another ridiculous argument. "Do you mind if I actually do go with Katara? I need to talk to her. We'll only be gone for a little bit."

Zuko was surprised, but he nodded to let me know it was fine. As he stepped back, Katara looked at me with question. Walking over, she asked, "What?"

Grabbing her arm, I pulled her towards the door. "Come on."

Once we were outside, the setting sun was to our backs as we made our way through the Upper Ring. I kept quiet at first, while Katara fiddled with her braid anxiously. She knew before I spoke why I'd brought her out and left Zuko behind.

"I'm not going to change how I feel," she muttered beside me. "I don't trust him."

I'd released her arm awhile back, and we were walking side by side. Looking over at her from the corner of my eye, I could see she was doing all she could to avoid my gaze. "I don't expect you to trust him… But could you at least try and be a little nicer to him? It would mean a lot to me."

She took in my words, and I could see they had brought on a wave of guilt over her. After a moment, she let out a deep breath. "Your right… I'm sorry. I'm being really immature and stubborn right now. First I fight with you yesterday at lunch, and then I behave like a child these last few hours when his Uncle is being so kind to us." She released her braid and stopped in her step, hanging her head in defeat. I stopped in front of her, looking at her with question. "I guess I have trouble seeing him as anything other than the Fire Lord's son."

Crossing my arms, I looked down at the ground with a small smile. "I know it's hard… When he first took me prisoner I only saw him for what I wanted myself to see him as. However, once I got to know him the true side of him began to show itself little by little. He's nothing like the Fire Lord. He cares about others, and he loves his Uncle. He has so much goodness inside him, and I know if you give him the chance you'll see that too."

She nodded to let me know she would try. I thanked her and took her hand in my own pulling her along. After a moment of walking through the garden area of the Upper Ring, we arrived at a large fountain with a statue in the middle of some past council member. Sitting down on the edge of the fountain, Katara sat beside me running her hand in the cool water.

"Enough about me…" I watched her from the corner of my eye. "What's going on with you and Aang? That was some goodbye you gave him earlier."

Her cheeks turned red at the mention of the kiss she had planted on Aang's cheek. She looked up at me with embarrassment. "I… It was nothing." She glanced away, rubbing her neck sheepishly. "I was just giving him a peck for good luck…"

Even without Toph's help I knew she was lying. "You have feelings for him. There's no shame in admitting it Katara."

She smiled weakly, putting her hands in her lap and pinching her dress fabric. "I don't know… At first Aang was just a little brother to me. But he's grown so much over the last few months… He's gotten taller and more handsome. He has such a good heart too, and he's so strong. I think you may be right… I do love him more than a brother…"

I beamed with victory. Trying not to show my thrill at being right, I offered her some sisterly advice instead. "You know, Katara... He definitely cares about you too. I see the way he looks at you." I threw an arm around her shoulders in a side hug. "He's probably happy you were the one to free him from that iceberg so long ago."

Her face lit up at my statement. "You think so?"

"I know so." Staring up at the sky, I saw the sun was lowering more and darkness was starting to cover the streets. "Come on… We should head back before it gets too late."

As I stood to go, Katara grabbed my arm to stop me. "Crys…" Looking back at her in question, I saw her drop her gaze and release my arm. Standing, she took a deep breath as she tried to get the words to form. "I hate to say it, but I can see Zuko cares about you too… I can't understand it, but there's always this look in his eyes like he'd jump in front of a flying boulder for you. You're lucky to have found someone like that."

Her small essence of acceptance made me fill with relief. "Thanks Katara… That means a lot..."


	41. Bad Luck Charm

**Yikes... Sorry everyone! I have been so busy! Here's the next chapter! Thanks for your continuous interest and support! Next chapter is coming soon, so don't panic when you get to the end of this chapter! Probably post it tomorrow after I do a last minute edit! ~Faithy Waithy**

* * *

 **Crystal POV**

"You're making it wrong!"

Katara's irritation echoed through the kitchen as Zuko continued to boil the tea in front of him over the stone stove. Iroh had left the room to go ensure the customers were happy, and while he did so he tasked us with keeping the kitchen running. As I mixed dough for pastries, I looked over to see Katara was trying to grab the tea leaves from Zuko. He held the clay container out of reach as she tried to grab it from him.

"I've been with my Uncle for three years! I know how to brew some damn tea!"

"And I've been cooking since I was six!" She jumped up to try and grab the container. "You can't just dump the tea leaves like that! You have to be slow moron!"

Letting out a deep sigh, I dropped the wooden spoon I was using to mix the batter and walked over to Katara and Zuko. Butting between them, I snapped, "You two have been bickering nonstop since Iroh left. It's tea for goodness sake! One little error isn't going to be the end of the world!"

Katara stepped back placing her hands on her hips. "I'm just trying to protect Iroh from losing customers! If you brew it too strong the taste will be bitter!"

"But we want it strong enough so people taste the tea! With your method we might as well give them water!" Zuko lowered the container. "But fine! If you're such an expert then by all means!" He shoved the tea container towards Katara.

She huffed. "No! I know what you're trying to do! You're trying to hand off the work to me so you can go be a lazy Prince!"

"Well not much work is getting done with you not wanting me to be a _lazy_ Prince! Stop hovering over my shoulder and the tea will get done!"

Grabbing the container, I said, "For goodness sake! Katara, food! Zuko, dishes! I'll handle the tea!"

They were astounded by my demands, but they both did as I requested in defeat. As they went to separate sides of the room, I let out a deep sigh glad to see that boiling water and flames were not soaring through the air.

In silence the three of us worked in the kitchen. I was relieved the yelling had stopped for a brief moment, and hoped we could keep peace a little longer. As we worked, I began to hum a soft tune without thinking about the origin of the song. Katara had calmed down and was surprised by the melody.

"I haven't heard that song in years." She stopped with the bread and looked over at me with surprise. "Mom used to sing it to me. I heard it the night before she died."

I grimaced, stopping my melody and stepping back from the brew. "Oh… Sorry… I didn't even notice it was her song."

She smiled over at me. "No… It's okay. It's good to hear it again." She looked over at Zuko then with a smirk. "What about you? Your mom ever sing to you? Got any songs you want to sing."

Zuko placed the tea cup he was drying back on the table, and his face twisted in pain as he thought about his mother. "Not really… My mom was more of a story teller. I think she used to sing when she was my age, but she never mentioned her childhood much to me." He paused for a moment, and then continued. "From what I can gather though, she really liked the theater and listening to music. She'd take me to shows and festivals all the time when I was little… I'd even started learning how to play the Tsungi horn a few months before she disappeared because she asked me to."

Katara's smirk fell. "Oh…" She looked over at me briefly, and then back at Zuko who was staring at the washbasin in front of him with deep thought. "Can I ask… I mean, Crystal told me your mom isn't around like ours, but she didn't go into detail… what happened to her?"

Taking in a heavy breath, Zuko answered, "I wish I knew…"

My heart ached at the pain in Zuko's voice. Taking the pot off the stove, I set it aside to stop the water from boiling over. Then I walked over to Zuko and placed my hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He placed his hand over my own and gave it a squeeze to reassure himself and calm the pain in his heart.

Katara was surprised by his reaction, and then she hung her head with guilt. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have brought that up. I've just always been curious." She met my gaze momentarily, and then turned back to her bread. "I wish I knew what happened to my mom too… Looks like we have something in common."

Her words felt like a slap in the face and I grimaced. I pulled my hand from Zuko's shoulder, and then crossed my arms for my own comfort. My chest tightened as images of that awful day flashed through me again. "Katara… She died… You know that…"

Katara refused to meet my gaze. "All I know is you and mom were together… She was attacked and stabbed… You were burned… There's so much blank space."

Zuko looked over at me with concern, knowing the answer Katara sought would be a very painful thing for me to give. I'd told him about my mother's death in detail, and by the end I lost it with tears. I feared telling Katara would be worse, because I'd feel the inner guilt that still weighed within me emerge. I'd kept the truth about that day from my family, because part of me blamed myself for not being strong enough to protect her.

"I'm sorry, Katara… I can't tell you... It's my burden to bear…"

She went to argue, but the door to the kitchen opened cutting her off. Iroh stepped in then, and he looked at the three of us with question when he saw the somber expressions on each of our faces.

"I see there's been some heavy discussion in here…" He came over to the dried cups and grabbed one. Then he began to fill it with the tea I'd freshly brewed. "You three should head on to the headquarters to get the plans from the generals. They should be finishing up their meeting by now, and it looks like you all could use some fresh air."

My eyes widened as my thoughts moved from my mom to the reason we'd stayed in Ba Sing Se in the first place. Dropping my crossed arms, I looked at Katara with shock, "The meeting! I totally forgot!"

Katara was surprised herself. She dropped the topic of mom as she returned to our mission at hand. "We better head over quick! We need those plans. I promised I'd bring them to the King by mid-day."

Zuko started to head towards the door that led to the space behind Iroh's shop. "Then we should head out before it gets too late." He opened the door and gestured for Katara and I to step out first. As Katara made her way out of the shop, Iroh grabbed my arm to stop me. Looking at him with question, I saw him look uneasy. "You three be careful… I've heard rumor that some of the Dai Li are still loyal to their previous leader. Keep alert."

Nodding, I placed my hand over his to reassure him. "We'll be careful, Iroh… Promise…"

He released me, but as the three of us left the shop, I looked back at him one last time to see the uncertainty on his expression. His worries caused my own uncertainty to build. Things were going too well for all of us… Our luck usually wasn't that great… I feared Iroh's concerns were rational.

Taking a carriage from Iroh's shop, the three of us arrived at the military headquarters where the Council of Five were done with their plans. As we stood in the war room at a giant circular table with a stone map in the center, General How finished up the meeting by asking Zuko some last minute questions about the Fire Nation. As Zuko answered the questions, the other four general's listened with great interest and curiosity. Katara looked over the written up plans as the discussion commenced, while I fiddled with one of the stone figurines from the giant war map in front of me.

Eventually General How finished speaking with Zuko and shot one last scroll to Katara and I from across the table. As Katara took the scroll that had been delivered by a moving stone across the table, she added it to the other scroll in her hand.

General How spoke once the scroll was secure with its deliverer. "All we need is the Earth King's seal in order to execute the plan. You three should head out swiftly."

Katara stood and nodded. "We'll get these scrolls to him right away. Thank you, General How."

As the three of us left the Council of Five to return to the carriage that would take us to the palace, Zuko let out a deep sigh. "I can't believe I'm spilling the Fire Nations secrets so easily. It's like I've been a traitor for years rather than a few days."

Running a hand through my hair, I responded, "You were banished by your father, Zuko… You can't be a traitor to a place you're not allowed to return to…"

He fell silent for a moment, pondering over my words. "Yeah… I guess you're right."

Katara spoke up as well. "If it's any consolation… I like _traitorous_ Prince Zuko better than _banished_ Prince Zuko."

He was surprised by Katara's compliment. He smiled and then whispered to me, "I think I'm finally getting on your sister's good side."

She stopped walking and turned around to face Zuko. We both abruptly stopped in our step as well so we didn't run her over. At first I thought she'd snap at Zuko's comment, but I was relieved to see the playfulness in her eyes. "You know... Listening to you talk to the council today made me reconsider a lot about you. I always pegged you as a mindless rich kid, but your much smarter than you look. Thanks for proving me wrong."

She turned and continued towards the waiting carriage before us. As she did so, Zuko's jaw dropped in shock. Then he recovered and crossed his arms. "Wait! What do you mean by that?! You thought I looked stupid!" She ignored him getting into the carriage. "Hey! Answer me!" He headed towards the carriage to get his answer. As he did, I smiled with a moment of ease. It was such a comfort seeing the two of them get along for a change.

A few moments later, after hearing Katara and Zuko bicker back and forth in the carriage, we finally arrived at the palace. Once we got there, we headed through the large gate and arrived at the empty courtyard. As we headed towards the steps that led up to the throne room where Earth King Kuei waited for us, I stopped mid-step with an unsettled feeling inside me.

Zuko, who had been walking beside me, noticed my halt and stopped as well. "Hey… You okay?" At his words, Katara stopped at the bottom of the steps and looked back at me with question.

"I don't know… Something feels off… There are usually more soldiers positioned in the courtyard. I haven't see any though…"

Katara looked around then, as if noticing this for the first time. Zuko seemed to take in my words with understanding. "It is a bit strange now that you mention it." He looked around us for any sign of the King's men.

My sister stepped back over to me, saying, "If you're worried something's wrong, then why don't you wait out here… That way if we're not back in half an hour you can come look for us… You can be our backup in case something goes south."

Her words put me slightly at ease. "Maybe that's a good idea…" I rubbed the back of my neck anxiously. "I don't know what it is… but I haven't felt right since we left Iroh's shop. Everything is just going too perfect. I don't get why we're having so much luck…"

Katara sighed. "Things can go good for a change, Crys. That's not a bad thing. But I understand your concerns… Stay out here, and if we aren't back soon then come to the throne room… we will be back though. There's nothing to worry about." As she turned to walk off, I reached in my boot for the sheathed knife I always kept for precaution. "Wait… Just in case…" I held the knife out to her. "You may not have water, and its better your prepared." She looked at it with shock.

"Really Crys! It's fine!" Katara handed the scrolls to Zuko, and then stepped over to me pushing the knife down. "What has you so worried?"

I grimaced. "I don't know… Maybe Sokka's instincts are actually a twin thing… I just have this awful feeling inside me that something is going to go bad… The plans we have right now are a huge turning point to this war… I just don't want them to fall into the wrong hands…"

She sighed. "How's about this then... Zuko will hold on to the plans. That way if something happens he can burn them…"

Nodding, I gripped the knife's sheath tight. "Okay… I'll wait out here…"

She smiled reassuringly, and then took the knife from my hand. "If it will make you feel better... But I won't need it…" She stuck it in her boot, and then turned to head up the stairs.

Zuko stepped over to me before following Katara. "I heard what Uncle said to you before we left… If the Dai Li try anything I'll be ready this time. Don't worry… Everything will be fine."

Letting out a heavy sigh, I looked into his golden orbs with plea. "Be careful."

He smiled and leaned towards me. "I'm not the one to worry about. From what I remember, you're the one constantly getting into crazy situations."

I pouted. "It's not my fault bad luck seems to follow me…"

He kissed me softly on the lips, and as his warmth lingered he whispered, "It will be fine. We'll be back soon." Turning, he and Katara made their way to the stairs and started their ascent. As they made their way to the king, I watched them both go with thoughts racing through my mind of a fear I didn't understand.

 _What if Long Feng still has control somehow from his prison cell? What if the plans don't make it to the King's hand? What if we fail?_

With defeat, I walked over to a fountain that spouted out water from the top of the statue of an Earth Kingdom generals head. Sitting on the rim of the fountain, I crossed my arms as I watched the two figures of Zuko and Katara disappear over the stairs and out of my sight.

"Please let me be wrong…"

 **Third Person POV**

Entering the inner chamber of the palace, Katara let out a deep breath as she replayed the interaction she'd just had with her sister. "I can see why she's so worried… This is a big step we're about to take and very risky… But she does freak out way too much…"

The expression on Crystal's face stayed with Zuko as he clutched the scrolls. Her anxiety was clear, and he knew it had a lot to do with everything that happened to her in the past.

"I mean…" Katara continued. "I don't blame her for being so paranoid. She's been kidnapped, attacked, burned, and almost killed numerous times in the last few months. But there's no sign to indicate anything is going to go wrong."

Zuko listened to Katara's banter, and then added his own thoughts. "I understand what she's worried about. There are still people within this city that do not have loyalty to the King. We just need to keep alert to ensure these plans don't fall into the wrong hands."

A moment passed between them of silence. Then Katara let out a laugh from her own inner thoughts. Zuko looked over at her with puzzlement. "What's so funny?"

She smiled. "Nothing… I was just thinking about what you said. A few days ago you would've been the wrong hands. It's ironic that the fate of the world now rests in the literal grasp of the Fire Lord's son."

He grimaced. "Yeah. I never would've imagined myself to plot against my father like this."

She glanced over at him from the corner of her eye. "Avatar Roku would be proud to know his Great-Grandson chose the right path though. Honestly, these last few days have opened my eyes to some things… Something Crystal told me a long time ago is actually true… There is good in everyone…"

The corner of Zuko's lip rose by the familiarity of those words. "Crystal would say that to me all the time back on the ship. She'd always try to convince me that there was another path I could take. At the time, I only ever could see one path before me. She showed me the light, and taught me how to smile again… I owe her for not giving up on me."

The way Zuko spoke about Crystal surprised Katara. She was astounded to hear so much love and adoration come out of a guy who weeks ago was chasing them across the Earth Kingdom. Their conversation came to a halt though as they approached the large door that opened to the throne room. On either side of the door stood a Dai Li agent. Their heads were bent so their faces were concealed by shadows cast by their large hats.

"We're here to see the King. We have the plans from the Council of Five for the invasion."

The Dai Li were silent as they turned and both swung their fists at the doors. As the doors opened to allow Zuko and Katara access into the throne room, Katara was relieved to see the Kyoshi warriors standing by the empty throne. From the distance, she assumed the tall one in green was Suki.

"Hey, Suki!" Katara stepped in, and Zuko followed behind. As they went, the doors shut closing them inside. The sound of the door being shut surprised the two, and they looked back in shock.

"Suki, huh…?" There was a slight pause, and then snicker. "I'd wondered what that chicks name was. Her uniform fit me perfectly."

Zuko's blood dropped as a familiar voice echoed across the room, and his eyes shot over to the girl Katara had mistaken as a friend. Katara gasped in horror at the person she realized to be in the stolen green Kyoshi warrior dress. She covered her mouth as she spoke out in shock. "Azula?!"

Zuko knew what he had to do before being told. Without a second to waste, the scrolls in his hand turned to flames as he burned them to a crisp. Azula watched from across the room with disbelief as her brother protected the secrets of the invasion she'd heard word of from the Earth King himself.

"Ah… So you've turned on us, Zuzu." She stepped forward, and the two other girls followed on either side of her. "And found yourself a new girlfriend."

Katara's face turned red, and she snapped, "I'm not his girlfriend!"

Zuko scowled at his sister, ignoring her foolish comment. "What are you doing here?! How did you get in the city?!"

She grinned. "Simple… I used my charm and good looks."

Katara's fists tightened as she prepared to fight. "More like your deception and force!"

The tall girl who stood to the left of Azula, spoke up in a leveled voice, "I admit that way was much more entertaining." She then darted her eyes to Zuko. "Long time no see."

Zuko recognized Mai as soon as she spoke. He knew she'd had a crush on him in the past, but to him she'd always been a nuisance. He could see the hurt and betrayal on her face, but he felt no guilt for falling in love with Crystal. He tried to stay composed. "Mai… It's been a while…"

"Yes." She ground her teeth in irritation. "But I see you've been having fun. You even found yourself a pretty little Water tramp to play with. Crystal, right? Congrats, Zuko."

Katara scowled. "Don't call my sister that!" She whipped water out of her moccasin ready to fight.

Azula smirked. "Girls… Let's give our guests a proper greeting. What do you say?"

 **Crystal POV**

Staring at the water beside me, I played with a stream in the air but the impatience caused me to drop the water back from where it came.

"This is taking too long," I muttered to myself, running a hand through my hair. "I knew something was off…"

With a heavy sigh, I stood from my perch on the palace fountain and headed towards the steps of the palace entryway. After a moment of climbing, I reached the opening to the inner throne room and headed down the hall. However, uncertainty fell over me as I noticed something strange the further I entered into the palace chambers. Instead of the King's usual guards standing at the entrance to the palace, there were Dai Li agents. Not just that, but there were no Earth Kingdom guards in sight anywhere. All I saw were the Dai Li, and my heart began to thud. I didn't need a scroll placed in my hand with a hidden warning on it to tell me something was going on. Quickening my pace, I rushed through the halls with anxiety, fearing the worse had happened to Katara and Zuko. When I finally reached the throne room doors a moment later, Dai Li officers stood on both sides and glanced over at me.

"What's going on? Where are all the Earth Kingdom guards?"

The Dai Li officer to my right answered cautiously. "We were requested to guard the King today. His officers were sent out to scout the border."

I didn't need Toph to see through his lie.

"Open the door… Let me through," I ordered.

They both stepped in front of the doors. The one who had spoken to me before stated, "We can't do that, miss. The Earth King is in the middle of an audience."

I grit my teeth. "That audience is my sister and Zuko. Let me through!"

They stood firm. "Not until we are given the order to do so," the other man finally spoke. "We were told not to let anyone pass."

A scream suddenly sounded from inside, and I gasped knowing fully well who the owner was.

"KATARA!" In a frenzy of panic, I rushed forward towards the door. The two men grabbed my arms to stop me, and tried to pull me back. "Let go of me!" I kicked at them both in the knees, but they refused to release. "Let me in!" Thoughts were racing through my head. I had no clue what was going on, but I had a feeling the Dai Li were written all over it. Katara's scream filled me with anxiety.

"Hey! What's going on here?"

Another male voice rang from behind, and I turned my head to see another Dai Li officer approach us from down the hall. The other two men released me and backed away to their original positions. Lowering their heads, the one who had first spoke to me answered, "The child is trying to enter the throne room."

The middle aged man who wore a darker green than the other Dai Li, stated, "As your commanding officer, I suggest you open that door. The Avatar's friend is our _special_ guest."

Both men nodded and spoke in unison. "Yes sir." The man to my right turned to the side then and punched his hand toward the door. The massive frame opened and I hesitated to step in. Without giving me a chance to linger, the commanding officer of the Dai Li men shoved me forward into the room. When I stumbled in, I was horrified by the three people in the room I wasn't expecting.

Azula stood where my sister and Zuko were currently restrained, and I could tell by the way the Dai Li officers held onto each of their arms that they had been hit by Ty Lee's chi blocking. The tiny girl with a long braid sat on the steps of the throne room looking anxious, while her friend Mai stood at the King's empty throne with narrowed eyes. They were all dressed in Kyoshi Warrior uniforms like the one I had seen Suki in, and I knew without a doubt the uniform belonged to Suki. What had Azula done to her and the other warriors? And where was the Earth King?

Once I entered the room, all eyes had turned to me with surprise. Azula was stunned by my appearance, but then I saw thrill fill her gaze. Katara and Zuko were horrified.

"Well, well… I was wondering when you'd arrive," Azula chimed.

"No! Crys! Run!" My sister's shout brought me out of my shock, and I jumped into action. As a Dai Li agent shot earth at me from across the room, I darted to the side with a shriek. Searching wildly for water, I saw a pitcher on a tray beside the King's throne. Darting my hand forward, the liquid in the container followed my command as I brought it to me. As this occurred, another agent rushed toward me sending his own stone projectile at me. Jerking to the side, I whipped my water at him hitting him sharply in the forehead. He fell back as his senses were knocked around.

Jerking my water behind me then, I heard the crash of a stone slam against my stream as I blocked the other Dai Li agent's attack from behind. Turning, I kept control of the water as I shot it at the surprised agent and knocked him off his feet onto his stomach.

"GET HER YOU IDIOT'S!" Azula's rage echoed from where she stood by her brother.

The other two agents in the room shot their own mounds of stone at me, and with luck I brought my water in front of me fast enough to create an icy barrier. The rocks hit the frozen molecules cracking the surface, but the stone did drop to the floor. As soon as their attacks were blocked, I brought the ice back to liquid and shot two streams away from me towards each agent. They both dodged, but weren't fast enough to dodge again when I brought the water at their backs. My hit sent them both stumbling forward.

"That's it!" Azula's enraged shout rang through the room. Blue fire shot towards me from the corner of my eyes, and I gasped stumbling back in just enough time to feel the heat fly by. As this occurred, my water fell to the floor soaking into the stone. Turning to Azula, I had just enough time to dodge her second ball of flames.

Zuko panicked from nearby. "Crys! Get out of here!"

I knew he was right. I couldn't fight his sister with the limited water I had. I needed Iroh.

"She's not going anywhere!" Azula rushed at me, and I stumbled back to try and run. Before I could though, the ground lifted behind my ankle and I tripped back trying to get my footing. As I stumbled, she jumped up and kicked a stream of fire towards me. The heat brushed the skin of my hands as I tried to block my face, and I gasped from the sharp pain that erupted. Catching myself from falling, I barely had time to react when Azula grabbed my wrist and jerked me forward. Her death grip caused me to cringe but I tried to kick her for release.

"What are you idiots waiting for?! Grab her!" She shoved me back and I was immediately restrained by a Dai Li officer from behind.

Twisting in his grip, I snapped, "Are you insane?! Why are you helping the enemy?! Is controlling the city such a desire that you would turn on the Earth Kingdom entirely!"

The Dai Li man kicked me in the shin. "Silence!" As this occurred, another Dai Li agent arrived with some firm rope and managed to tie my hands together behind me.

"Azula! Stop! Let her go, now!" Zuko's rage was heard from behind, but he was unable to move to assist me. "You can hurt me all you want, but Crystal and her sister are not a part of this."

She scowled, stomping over to Zuko with spite. "I can do whatever I please! I can make you feel more pain than you've ever felt!" She lit a flame in her hand and held it threateningly to his face. "You've been nothing but a thorn in my side since we were young."

I was horrified at the thought of Zuko getting hurt. "Hey! Your brother has done nothing to you! Don't take your anger out on him," I snapped. "He isn't a punching bag!"

Azula smirked. "You don't want me to punish him, huh?" She brushed a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. "Fine… I see what's going on. I don't mind using you as a substitute."

Zuko was horrified. "No! She has nothing to do with the quarrel you have towards me Azula! Don't touch her!"

Azula ignored Zuko as she stepped towards me. I struggled in the agents hold to try and break free to save us all. "You hear that _Crystal…_ Zuzu doesn't want me to touch you." Her hand grabbed a fist-full of hair and jerked my head back. "What do you think? Should I listen to him? Should I grab the other waterbender instead?"

At the mention of my sister, I knew I had to keep Azula's attention on me. I didn't want any of Azula's psychotic actions to have my sister as their target. With a scowl, I spat at her face and hissed, "Why? I'm the one you want to torture to get back at your brother. Leave her out of it."

Azula cringed as my saliva trailed down her cheek. Taking her hand, she wiped the liquid with disgust. Then she smiled devilishly and backhanded me. The contact caused my cheek to pulse and an iron taste to fill in my mouth.

"Stop! Leave her alone!" Katara cried from behind, paralyzed by Ty Lee's chi block and unable to escape the hold of the agents that held her up.

"If you want to hurt someone then hurt me! This is between us!" Zuko tried again from behind, but he could not struggle either due to Ty Lee's attack on him as well.

Azula grinned and stepped past me. The agent forced me to turn so I was facing Zuko and Katara once again. They both looked greatly concerned about my wellbeing. As they both tried to get there mobility back, Azula stepped over to Katara. I struggled harder, shouting, "Get away from her!"

She ignored me meeting Katara's gaze with delight. "So… The Avatar's girlfriend, right? You're my key to capturing the Avatar…" Her nail hit Katara's chin only enough to push her head back. Katara kept her fear composed. "No worries, peasant. I won't hurt you until your boyfriend arrives. You're my leverage." She then walked over to Zuko who glared daggers at her. "Oh come now, Zuzu… You should've guessed I would win… I always do…" She leaned forward and spoke something into his ear. Whatever she said, his eyes widened and he looked at her with horror. "What do you say, Zuzu? Want to go home and make daddy proud? Or should I just continue with your punishment? It's your decision."

He fell silent for a moment, letting whatever Azula spoke to him run through his mind. Then he took in a deep breath, and shook his head. "No… I will not betray the woman I love… I can go home once this war is over…"

Azula smirked. "Once this war is over, the only place you'll be going is to prison for treachery. You can tell all the other pathetic worms about being related to Avatar Roku, since you think that small detail is so important." She backed up. "You have one more chance Zuko… Come back over to my side and help me bring this world into a new age… Or betray your own people and suffer… What will it be?"

He took a moment as her words sunk in again. I could only imagine he was afraid of what was going to happen to him if he refused his sister, but he knew in his heart the right path to take. "I will not turn my back on people who need help. This war is wrong, and it's time peace is restored."

She sneered. "These peasants have made you soft, brother." She turned away from him and walked back over to me. "Very well… Take him and the waterbender away. I'd like some alone time with Zuko's pet. We have catching up to do… I mean," she looked back at Zuko, "she will be my future sister-in-law. I have to get to know her."

Zuko and Katara were dragged out of the throne room then, and I could tell they both were anxious about being separated from me.

"NO!" Katara cried out. "Let her go! Don't touch her!"

Zuko's shout was rage. "AZULA! DON'T DO THIS!"

She ignored them, stepping back to me with composure. "Don't worry, you two. She'll be joining you as soon as I'm done." She stopped in front of me, meeting my infuriated gaze with amusement. "It's been too long..."


	42. The Leopard-seal's prey

**HERE YOU GO! JUST AS I PROMISED! THANKS FOR READING! ~FAITHY WAITHY**

* * *

 **Chapter 42**

 **Crystal POV**

The giant throne-room door shut behind me causing Zuko and Katara's desperate cries to cut off. Silence fell over the room, and I stood firm to try not to reveal how afraid I was. I knew Azula wanted to hurt me for knocking her around on the Drill so long ago. I'd also foiled her plans of capturing her Uncle and brother right after we'd escaped the Northern Water Tribe so long ago. She wanted revenge for the battles she'd lost, and her revenge was about to be taken on me.

After a moment, Azula broke the silence, "Someone go get me a drink. I'm parched from all this speaking." As she walked back to the front of the throne room, I was forced to turn with her by the Dai Li agent that still restrained me. Shoving me forward, I was held a few feet from Azula who watched me like a leopard-seal eying its next penguin.

"So… Crystal…" My name rolled off her tongue slowly, as if she were pondering its origin. She tapped her chin. "I'd always heard myth that the female waterbenders of the South Pole were beauties… You disappoint me though. You're so average… like your sister… Katara, right? Honestly, I don't see what makes you so special in Zuzu's eyes. You're short and don't have much to offer. Don't you think so, Mai?" She looked back at Mai who had watched everything play out with irritation. Mai looked at Azula, and then over at me with a nod.

Azula was satisfied with her answer. "I guess you're pretty enough to have as a prisoner at the Palace though. You'd fit right in with the other war captured slave girls we've forced into servitude."

My insides boiled as fury filled me. I spoke out without pondering the circumstances. "You're a cold, heartless, masochistic monster! You and your father will pay for the pain you've caused this world!"

My outburst was amusing to her. She cackled and clapped her hands. "My, my! I like your courage. Speaking to the Princess of the Fire Nation with such defiance is a bold move. Must be the chief's daughter in you, eh?" She crossed her arms. "The daughter of a chief… Pity that title is no match to a Princess. You are worth nothing to your people… As for me, I'm the heir to the throne." She grinned. "So show me some respect. Kneel before me!"

I scowled, lifting my chin in refusal. "I won't show respect to someone who treats her brother with such hate. You don't deserve praise for the evil you've done. You're nothing but a rat-snake!"

She clenched her jaw as she tried to keep her boiling anger inside. "How dare you speak to me with such informality?! I said, on your knees!"

I stood firm. "You're _not_ my Princess. I will not kneel!"

She growled and slapped me again, only this time she hit my lip with her nail splitting it open. The sting and the blood made me light headed. I licked my lip though to try and stop the bleeding.

"Kneel!" The Dai Li agent kicked at the back of my knee causing me to collapse with a cringe. As he held me down on my knees, Azula's shadow fell over me. I struggled with the rope that restrained my wrists, eager to escape from the psychotic woman before me. "Pay respect to the Princess!"

Instead of paying respect, I stared at her stolen Kyoshi warrior shoes and spat blood at them. The iron taste left my mouth in the process, and for that I was relieved. As my blood soaked into her shoes, I heard the Dai Li official gasp from behind. Glancing up, I looked into the irate eyes of Azula with a glare. As much as I feared what she'd do to me, I kept courage and prepared for the worse. "Do whatever you want to me, Azula… But leave my sister and Zuko alone!"

She crouched down suddenly and grabbed my hair to jerk my head back again. As I tried to jerk from her hold, she brought her face inches from mine. "Oh, Crystal… Silly, peasant… I'm going to enjoy watching you scream when we get back to the Fire Nation. I have so many plans for you." Her nail traced along the outline of my scar with a grin. "Just think of the fun I'll have filling the rest of your skin with pretty marks like this one." I cringed at her touch, feeling my stomach clench with fear. She released my hair, and then stepped back. "Until then, I'm going to ask you the same question my foolish brother and your sister would not answer." She crossed her arms to show her authority. "What did the report from the Earth Kingdom generals read? Your beloved burned it as soon as he saw me."

Relief fell over me when she said this. Zuko had protected the plans. The eclipse was still a secret.

Azula growled from the satisfaction on my face, grabbing my hair again with fury. "ANSWER ME!"

I gasped from the pain of her pull, but kept silent. I would not betray my people or the Earth Kingdom again. I would not give in no matter what she did to me.

"I said answer me!"

Her tightening grasp only made me more defiant as my refusal to let her win continued to build. "I won't!"

She scowled and released me once more. "You're as stubborn as my brother!" She shut her eyes and took a deep breath to calm down. Opening her eyes again, she spoke with composure. "Fine… I suppose I can just interrogate one of the generals later." She lit a flame on her fingertips. "One thing I've learned is that persuasion can be a powerful tool."

My heart skipped a beat as I realized there was still a possibility Azula could find out the plans. If she tortured a member from the Council of Five long enough, there was a chance her victim would spill the details to end his suffering. With dread, I muttered, "Is that how you managed to ease your way into Ba Sing Se? _Persuasion?_ "

She smiled, cutting off her flame. "You'd be surprised how stupid Earth Kingdom soldiers can be. It was easy locking every single one of them in a cell when I threatened to kill their king and his fluffy beast."

I tried to stand, but the Dai Li official kept me down. "Where is King Kuei?!"

She tapped her chin. "Hmm… Somewhere down in the dungeon. The Dai Li loaned the place to me. The King was surprised he even had a dungeon. Pretty amusing."

I grit my teeth. "You won't win, Azula. Aang will stop you and your father."

A manic laugh escaped her. "Right! And balance will be restored? HA! You all don't have a chance leaving the fate of the world in that child's hands!"

I glowered, irritated by the darkness in her heart. She continued to laugh, and every sound she made only caused my hate towards her to build. How could Azula be so sick and cold-hearted? What had the Fire Lord done to her to make her like this? I wanted to believe there was good in everyone, but the girl in front of me gave me second thoughts.

She sighed, wiping her eye as a tear fell from her cackles. "Thank you. I needed some amusement today…" She ran a hand through her hair. "Enough about the war though… Mai would actually like to have a word with you. She's been dying to speak to you since the day you broke my toy at the outer wall."

My eyes shot over to the girl standing in the corner of the room. Her brown eyes glared daggers at me, and I knew exactly why. She'd had feelings for Zuko since they were children, and her feelings had not changed as the years passed. Her hate towards me was from envy as she realized Zuko had absolutely no feelings for her. She was bitter by the thought that a waterbender like me had won the heart of her prince charming.

She stepped over to me in the very spot that Azula had stood. Still on my knees, my neck ached as I tried to meet her eyes to show her I wasn't scared. She stared down at me for a moment, and must've been irritated that she had to lower her eyes so far. "Stand her up," Mai ordered to the Dai Li agent that still forced me down. The man grabbed my shirt sleeve and yanked me back up to my feet. Once I stood, Mai looked me over with disbelief. Then a scowl formed. "You're not what I expected Zuko's type to be."

The mannerism of the girl before me actually made me wary. If looks could kill, hers would've ended me as soon as I entered the room. I spoke softly to try not to anger her more. "I don't think Zuko ever wanted to hurt you, Mai."

She pulled a dagger from her sleeve and pointed the sharp end of the blade at the vein on my neck to silence me. I cringed away, but the Dai Li agent held my shoulders hard to keep me in place. "You don't have a right to speak to me like we're acquaintances! I wish so much I could kill you, but then that wouldn't solve a thing." Her tip hit my skin, and I felt a sharp pain as she pierced only the top layer. A drop of blood slid down from where she dug in. I gasped and jerked away, feeling a pulsing pain from her mark.

"Mai… I don't think hurting her is-"

"Ty Lee! Silence!"

Azula's shout cut the petite cartwheeling chick off, and the tiny girl fell silent in defeat from where she stood by the king's throne.

Mai lowered her dagger, and then she stepped forward grabbing my chin hard. Since she was a few inches taller, she forced me to look up at her. "What did you do to win his heart? I'm dying to know how the guy I've been chasing after for years falls for you in a matter of months."

I stayed strong, and spoke with truth. "You don't know anything about Zuko…" My eyes watered as I wished more than anything I was with him. "The young man you knew at the palace was only an act to please his father… Zuko has a kind heart and cares for the world."

She growled and ripped her hand away as if I'd burned her. She then smashed the back of her hand into my cheek. I stumbled back only to have the agent force me forward again. My cheek pounded from the constant impact it received, and I felt more blood in my mouth from where the inside of my cheek hit my teeth. Her eyes turned dark. "Zuko is a fool! He is betraying his family by even associating with the likes of you!" She stabbed her finger at my face barely keeping it an inch away. "You are nothing but a filthy waterbender from some frozen wasteland! He may like you now, but it won't last!" She jerked away, turned sharp on her heel and stomped off. "I'm taking a walk!"

As Mai stormed out of the throne room, Azula watched her go with satisfaction. She then looked over at me with cold eyes that could pierce through anyone's soul.

"Poor Mai… You really know how to wreck a girl's dreams huh?" She tapped her chin. "What is it about you though? I can't quite understand how my brother could fall for someone so weak and pathetic like you."

Looking away from her, I muttered, "You should look in a mirror…"

Silence fell over us, and I could tell Azula was taking in my insult. Deciding that a backlash wasn't worth her time, she stated, "Zuzu and your sister are probably missing you…" She stepped back over to me with sinister intentions. "Let me return you to them before they worry…" She tightened her fist as she spoke. "Before I do though, let me remind Zuko what happens when he doesn't listen to me."

She brought her arm back and then swung it forward smashing her fist into my gut. The pain from her impact sent me keeling over. The Dai Li agent let me go this time, and I tried to stay upright. My vision blurred though and I struggled to breathe through the pain. Azula snickered with delight and insanity. "That was fun!"

As she went to hit me again, I dodged by stepping back quick. My back rammed into the agent behind me, and he lost his footing. As the agent fell back behind me, I tried to run. Azula was one step ahead of me though as she threw her foot around my ankle hooking it to me and yanking me off my feet. I fell onto my side, and the hard stone floor scratched into my skin.

"I'm not done with you yet! I can't just take you to Zuko without punishing him first." She kicked me below my ribs, and I cried out from the impact. Trying to roll onto my back so I could face her, she stopped me with her foot. Instead she pushed me down onto my stomach so my face was pressed up to the floor. I tried to kick back at her, but she avoided my feet.

"Red looks good on your skin you know… So why don't I help you out and add some more." Shoving up my shirt, I felt her knee press down my legs and her other hand pressed my upper body down. "Where should the pretty mark go…" Her finger trailed from one side of my back to the other. Then she moved it back to the center where my spine was, right below the bruise that still painted me from Long Feng's attack days ago. "Ah… Perfect." Her palm dropped down on my back then and I felt the heat only a second later.

A scream escaped me as my flesh started to burn from her contact, and I squirmed from beneath her. Pain shot through me as my flesh singed from her fire. "Shut her up! She's giving me a headache!" My screams were silenced a moment later by a piece of cloth being shoved into my mouth. As I was gagged, the fire continued from behind and the pain made my senses blur. Fire continued to eat at my skin, even after Azula was finished burning me. As she released her hold on me, and her weight was removed, I stayed still too scared to move from the pain.

"Very nice… A scratch on your neck from Mai, and a burn on your back from me." She laughed. "Ty Lee! You want to join in and take a swing at the punching bag?"

I wasn't sure if Ty Lee answered, but the next thing I knew her small body was beside me. She crouched down, and I heard her say softly so only I would hear, "I'll stop the pain… I'm sorry…" Then she said louder for Azula to hear, "Sure! Just for Mai!" Her hands smashed speedily against my body then, and at first I whimpered through the gag. However, her hits hurt at first but then made my body numb. As I became immobilized, the burn on my back could no longer be felt. The only part on my body I could feel was above my neck, and I lowered my head down to the stone enjoying the cool of its feel on my pulsing cheek. Shutting my eyes, my mind went in and out for a moment.

"Wow! You knocked her out cold, Ty Lee," Azula chimed. "Very impressive!"

Ty Lee's small voice echoed in my head. "Are you taking her to the Catacombs now?"

"In a moment… I think Zuko can do with a few more minutes of separation, don't you think?"

Zuko… My body felt cold and I longed for his warm touch. As my cheek rested against the floor I went under into the dark world of unconsciousness.

 **Third Person POV**

"ARGH!" Zuko smashed his body against the stone wall again, desperate to return to the world above. He backed up and shot fire with his foot at the stone, only causing smoke to fill the cave and the stone to turn red from the heat. When he saw nothing happen, he shouted, "NO! Crystal!" He ran back up to it and smashed his hands to the stone, only this time his eyes were clouded with hot tears.

Silence fell over the cave again, and the young prince fell to his knees in defeat. Katara slowly stepped over to him, her own cheeks red and moist from crying. "Zuko… Stop… There's nothing you can do… Only an earthbender can open that wall…"

He shut his eyes tight, his shoulders hunched as he felt mortified. He could only picture in his head what Azula was doing to her. He knew she wouldn't kill her, but he was certain the insanity of his sister would make Crystal plea for death.

"She's going to hurt her… This is all my fault…" He breathed heavily as he tried to choke back a sob. "I couldn't get Azula to listen… I thought learning about Avatar Roku would help, but it did nothing to sway her…"

"Zuko…" Katara hesitated as she went to place her hand on his heavy shoulders. She was about to comfort the very prince that had caused Crystal to be targeted by Azula in the first place. She wanted to blame him too, but she knew it wasn't his fault. Her hand rested on his shoulder, and she knelt beside him. "You tried to save her… We were outnumbered… Tai Lee's attack made us both powerless."

He hung his head more knowing she was right. They both had only gotten there mobility back a few minutes ago.

Katara grabbed his arm then, saying, "Come over to the water… I'll heal your head… It's got a bump on it…"

He jerked his arm from her. "No…" His voice softened as he calmed down. Standing, he wiped his eyes to hide the tears that had spilled. "Save your healing for later… We have to focus on getting out of here."

She backed away, hugging her arms together in agony. "The cave runs deep, and the water in here has to be coming from somewhere… If we work together, maybe we can find a way out and get back to Crystal…"

He nodded, turning back to her with slow renewed strength. "We should follow the water then… There has to be an opening…"

Katara nodded, and then hung her head. As they began to walk away from the wall towards the water at the back of the cave, Katara spoke. "I'm sorry for thinking wrong about you, Zuko… I can see you really care about her… Crystal is lucky to have found someone like you."

He grit his teeth as his stomach clenched. "Lucky…" he stopped in his step beside some glowing green-tinted crystals. "My psychotic sister is doing who knows what to her all because of me…"

"Azula's actions have nothing to do with you," Katara tried to reassure Zuko and herself. "And you said it yourself all those times you were chasing after us… The Fire Lord wants Crys alive… She'll be-"

"Don't!" Zuko shook his head. "She won't be fine! You have no clue what Azula's capable of!"

Katara shouted back at him, "No! I don't! But I can't think Crystal is pain, because if I do I won't be able to think straight!" She covered her mouth as a sob escaped her, and she shut her eyes tight. Images of Crystal shot through her. Crystal had been right all along to think something was going to go wrong. Why hadn't she listened to her?

Zuko was shocked by her break down, and he stepped over to her taking his turn to give someone comfort. "Katara…"

The wall suddenly shook behind them, and the entrance was opened again. They both stepped back with gasps and prepared to defend themselves from what was coming. To their horror, a Dai Li agent stepped down into the cave and lowered an unconscious figure to the ground. Stepping away, he said nothing as he left the limp body and made his exit through the entrance shutting the wall again as he left. As soon as the wall was shut, Zuko rushed forward to the body feeling his blood run cold.

"NO!" He fell beside the tied up and gagged figure, and looked her over with horror. Her cheek was swollen from being hit, and a small mark stained by dried blood rested on the nape of her neck. Her shirt was damp from sweat, and her hair was wild from the numerous hands that had pulled at it.

"Crys!" Katara fell beside Zuko, taking in her sister's condition with horror. She reached for the gag that was kept in her mouth by another strip of cloth tied around her head. The cloth had dug into the corners of her mouth making the skin raw. Katara tried to undo the knot behind Crystal's head that held the gag there, but the knot was too tight to undo. She reached for the knife Crystal had given her earlier that morning from the sleeve in her boot, and with shaky hands tried to cut the gag away. Zuko saw the shaking hands and grabbed the knife quickly. He jerked the knife from her before Katara accidentally sliced her sister's skin.

"Hold her up," he managed to choke out through his tears. "I'll get it…"

Katara was surprised, but through her own tears she managed to maneuver around her sister and pull the top half of her body off the cave floor. Zuko managed to hold his hand much steadier as he cut the gag's restraint from Crystal's mouth and sliced the rope on her wrists off. As her restraints were released, Zuko dropped the knife away and grabbed the gag from her mouth pulling it out and tossing it to the side. The fabric was bloody, and he knew that was a result of the blow she had received on the side of her face. He held his hand to the vein of her neck, and was relieved to feel the slow beat of her pulse.

"Water…" Katara choked out. "Help me get her to the water… I need to heal her…"

Zuko pushed one of Crystal's sweaty strands of hair back, and his thumb rested on the swollen side of her face. He let his thumb trail over the swell of her cheek to the cut on her lip. As he looked over her state, he felt fury shoot through him. The fury was directed towards his sister, and he wanted nothing more than to burn her face with every ounce of his power.

"Zuko! Now!" Katara snapped him out of it, and he jumped into action. Sliding one arm behind her back, and the other arm below the crook of her knees, Zuko managed to lift her body from the ground. She whimpered in her unconscious state as the pain from the movement caused a reaction.

Somehow Zuko found the strength to carry her down the slope of the cave to the settled water that glowed from the green crystals around it. Katara was already by the water, bringing a stream to her hand and encasing her palm with a glowing liquid.

"Set her down and hold her up for me… I need to assess the damage."

He did just that. Lowering her to the rocky earth, he knelt beside her to let her head rest back against his shoulder. He managed to hold her up as Katara began to move the water down Crystal's body from her head to her arms, using the element to feel for areas that needed healing. As she concentrated on the scratches and bruises her sister had gained, Zuko pressed his face into Crystal's hair, whispering, "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

Katara heard him speak to Crystal, and she felt pity for the Fire Nation prince beside her. She could see Crystal's state weighed heavily on his heart as much as it weighed on her own. As she thought this, she gasped when her water detected a massive amount of damage in the area behind Crystal's back. Zuko caught her gasp, looking at her with concern.

"Pull her forward! I need to see her back!" Katara jerked her water away, dropping it beside her in a panic. Zuko saw the urgency in her eyes, and he did just that. Managing to turn Crystal's body to the side, he held her up still as he resulted to cradle her in his lap. Katara came to the back of her sister, lifting up her shirt only to cry out and release at the sight. She covered her mouth as memories of so long ago replayed in her mind. She was young when her sister had received the scar on her face, but she could recall the mutilated flesh she caught glimpses of when her Gran-Gran or other women of the village would put fresh bandages on Crystal. She kept her eyes closed for a moment, having the image of the boil covered skin engraved in her mind. Taking a few breaths as nausea hit her from the sight, she tried to collect herself knowing her sister needed her.

"I'll kill her," Zuko hissed, knowing just from Katara's reaction what was present on Crystal's skin. He'd been burned before, and he could only imagine how awful the mark was to cause Katara such anguish. "Azula's going to regret this."

Katara calmed herself, glad to see Zuko was enraged at his sister for the state she'd put Crystal in. Katara came back to action, saying weakly, "I need to take her shirt off… I need to see the whole thing…"

Zuko assisted Katara in removing Crystal's shirt leaving only her chest covered by her wrappings. Once her back was exposed, Zuko held her up so that Katara could grab water once again and hover the liquid over the raw, red, and severely blistered skin. The contact of the liquid on the damaged flesh brought Crystal out of her incoherent state. As pain once more shot through her back, her eyes shot open and she cried out in pain. Jerking her body away from the element, Zuko held her tighter around her shoulders to stop her movement. The jerk of her body had startled Katara causing her to drop her glowing water.

"Crystal! Stop!" Zuko grimaced as she jabbed her elbow into him again, thinking she was still in the palace in danger. At Zuko's voice, she stopped fighting him and instead broke into sobs. Zuko pulled her to his chest so her face could press into his shirt and soak up her tears. "You're safe… I'm sorry… I'm here…"

Katara let out a deep breath, and then she resumed her healing. "Hold her still. This isn't going to be pleasant for her, but I need to heal up the worse of this before it gets infected." Zuko nodded, doing just as Katara asked. He hugged Crystal closer, using his arm which wrapped around her shoulders to reach and grab her left hand. Then he used his free hand to restrain her other hand. Crystal caught on quick through her fogged mind that she was being restrained. She began to whimper in anticipation for the pain that she, Zuko, and Katara knew was coming.

"Crystal… I need you to breathe for me… This is going to hurt, but you have to breathe…"

Katara's voice convinced Crystal to take a choked breath. As soon as air filled her sister's lungs Katara went in for the contact. As her water began to glow and rebuild the skin that had been damaged, Crystal lurched and screamed from the fire coursing through her. Zuko shut his eyes in agony, but held Crystal as still as he could. He could feel her trying to pull from him every second, but he tightened his hold knowing she'd feel better soon.

A few moments after Katara began her healing the screams and gasps from Crystal ceased. As the fire in her back soothed, she breathed heavily to try and bring air back into her lungs. Katara let out a sigh of relief as she saw the worse of the burn was healed. The scar would remain however, much to Katara's dismay.

"That's it for now… I have to heal her more later… The wound needs time to air out…"

Zuko nodded. "We need to get out of here before the others come looking for us. Having us down here is just a trap for Azula to lure Aang in."

"Zuko…" Crystal's pained voice spoke up suddenly. "I'm sorry… Azula… She shouldn't have…"

"Crys… Save your energy," Katara ordered. "We'll talk later. Let's get out of here first."

Crystal fell silent at her sister's request. Instead, she worked on getting the energy to pull from Zuko and try to stand. Her body ached at every move though. Zuko felt her attempts, and managed to pull her to her feet as he stood. As soon as she was upright, she felt the blood rush through her and her vision blurred. Katara rushed forward using her upper body to anchor her from falling. Her hands held her forearms to try and steady her.

"I- I'm fine," she spoke, trying to shove from her sister with what little energy she had. She stepped from her sister and tried to walk forward, knowing they needed to get out and get a message to Aang before Iroh had them coming here in a frenzy. "We have to save the King…"

"We will…" Katara promised. "But first we need to get you out of here. If Azula arrives again you won't be much help in a fight."

"No…" Shaking her head, Crystal's glazed eyes shot between her sister and Zuko. "If we wait to save the King, we won't get the same chance again… Once we leave the palace yard, there's no way back in with the Dai Li-"

"Fine." Katara didn't feel like reasoning with her pain dazed sister. "We'll figure it out once we get out of this prison."

Nodding, Crystal went to move again but the spot where Azula kicked her in the ribs spiked with pain at the movement. She stopped clutching her side with grit teeth trying not to sound out her discomfort. She didn't want to slow them down, but she also couldn't ignore the turmoil her body had been through. Azula had used her to take out her wrath, and the Princess definitely had _a lot_ of anger within her.

"We're not going to get anywhere with her state," Katara spoke to Zuko low enough for only him to hear.

"Get her on my back," Zuko responded. "I can carry her." He turned and crouched, while Katara guided Crystal over to his back. At first Crystal wanted to argue, but she understood why. With defeat, Crystal managed to wrap her arms around Zuko's neck while he scooped his arms beneath her knees and lifted her. As soon as gravity tried to pull her down, pain shot through her whole body and she pressed her face into Zuko's shoulder blade to suppress the whimper.

 **Third Person POV**

"WHAT?! Captured? How do you know?"

Sokka stared up at Aang with horror. Momo was perched on Aang's shoulder looking off in the distance, while Appa lowered his body to take a moment of rest from his abrupt flight.

"I saw them." Aang frowned. "They were in some weird cave with glowing crystals. We have to hurry, Sokka..."

The worry in Aang's tone caused Sokka to feel even more unsettled. "Are they okay?"

Aang hung his head, shutting his eyes as the vision came back to him. "I don't know… The image came so fast… I heard screaming though… I think it was Crystal…"

Staring over at the water tribe warriors who were headed off on their mission, Sokka hung his head in defeat. He'd been so thrilled about getting to fight the Fire Nation alongside the other Southern Water Tribe warriors, but he knew what was most important. Letting out a deep sigh, he nodded to let Aang know he understood.

Hakoda, who stood beside his son and listened to Aang's words with horror, knew what was going on in Sokka's head. He also couldn't imagine what was happening to his little girls at the moment. He wanted to go with Sokka, to save his daughters, but his chiefly duty caused him to hold back.

"Alright," Sokka spoke. "I'm coming." He turned to his father with confidence. "Sorry dad… my sisters need me. You go on with the mission. The warriors will need your guidance."

Hakoda took this in, and then crossed his arms with defeat. "I know… Be careful son… Get your sisters and come straight back here. I want to be sure you all are safe. The faster you get out of that city, the more at ease I'll feel."

Sokka nodded, and then raced over to Appa. Once he was on the fluffy beast, Aang shouted out the signature call and Appa took off into the air flying towards the direction of the city. As they flew off, Hakoda watched them go with dread. As he stared at the figure disappearing in the distance, he didn't notice Jaka, Kona, and Areto approach him from behind. They each brandished weapons and had war paint smeared on their skin. They'd seen the bison arrive, and had become curious to the Avatar's sudden return.

"Where's he going?" Jaka asked, amazed by his cousin's departure. He'd spoken to Sokka not even an hour before, and the young man had been thrilled about joining them to fight the Fire Navy ships. "I thought he was coming with us?"

Hakoda's fists tightened as worry over his children's wellbeing flooded through him. "Something's happened… Katara and Crystal are in trouble."

The three warriors were stunned by this announcement. "What should we do?" Kona crossed his arms. "I've been to Ba Sing Se… It's a mess in there, but we could get in and he-"

"No…" Hakoda shook his head. "I have another favor to ask of you three... I need you to stay here at camp… I don't know how long Sokka and the Avatar will be gone, and I need you all here to assist them if they need it."

Areto was appalled. He knew exactly why Hakoda wanted someone to stay behind though. He'd been told about Prince Zuko joining the Avatar and Hakoda's children. He knew Hakoda wanted the three to chaperone the group when they arrived so they could ensure the Fire Lord's son kept in line.

"Assist them?" Areto asked with disbelief. "How? Those kids have been on their own for months. I doubt they need our help."

"I don't know how long this mission is going to take, and I would prefer someone is here when they arrive." He looked over at Areto briefly. "Plus… I have a feeling the Fire Lord's son will be with them and I need someone to keep an eye on him."

Areto's suspicion was confirmed. "If what Sokka say's is true about the Fire Lord's son, I see no reason to be so worried. Crystal seems to trust him… and your son does too."

"My daughter has gone through some hardships," Hakoda calmly spoke. "Once she is among her tribesmen again she will come to her senses and remember the true enemy."

"I don't know, Chief…" Areto tried to get some sense into the man who was blinded by his prejudice. "The way she tried to escape Kona and Jaka a few weeks ago makes me think this is more than just a fancy…"

The Chief growled. "I'll be damned if my daughter continues to run around with a filthy firebender!" He pointed a finger at Jaka. "When your cousins arrive, keep an eye on them." He then pointed at Kona. "You make sure that Firebender stays in line!" Then he directed his next order to Areto. "And keep my daughter away from him!" He turned sharp on his heel and stomped off. As he went, all three warriors watched him go with irritation. They waited in silence until Hakoda was far enough down shore not to hear.

Jaka was the first to break the silence with a scowl. "So we're babysitting now! Why are we the ones who have to be punished? Uncle should stay behind if he's that worried about an enemy in our camp!"

Kona sighed heavily. "Forget it Jaka. There's no use arguing with your Uncle. Chief Hakoda won't change his mind." Turning, he crossed his arms with defeat. "Guess I'm going to unpack…" He walked off in the direction of his tent knowing there was no use in arguing with the chief. Jaka muttered under his breath as he stomped behind Kona in defeat.

Lagging behind, Areto watched his brother and Jaka go understanding their frustration. Running a hand through his hair, he let out a deep breath and shook his head.

He hadn't seen Crystal in three years, but from what he recalled she wasn't one to listen to him. He wouldn't be able to keep her away from the Fire Nation prince even if he tried. He had no desire to keep the two apart though. Chief Hakoda's dreams of pairing Areto and Crystal together were foolish in his eyes.

Crystal would always be like a little sister to him, and she would never have feelings for him as long as her heart belonged to the prince.

Areto let out a deep breath as he contemplated what would come. "This will definitely be an interesting reunion…"


	43. Water and Fire

**So... Once again, sorry for the wait... Took a long time to finish, but here's the next chapter at last... Adulting is hard...**

* * *

 **Crystal POV**

Sitting on a boulder that jutted up from the cold cavern floor, I watched as Zuko and Katara contemplated our next move. We'd followed the water that trickled through the cavern to the back of the cave, where we unfortunately arrived at a dead end. The water was coming from a small crevice in the cave floor, and we all knew it would take an earthbender to get us through. Katara had even gotten in the water to see if the opening was deep enough to swim through, but we were all too big to pass.

"Maybe I could try and blast a hole through the stone…" Zuko tapped his chin in thought. "The surface might be thin enough to break through."

Katara let out a deep sigh. "I should've guessed escaping wouldn't be easy… We're prisoners. Azula wouldn't have put us somewhere with an exit."

The pain in my ribs had eased slightly, and the throbbing of my cheek was starting fade. Although the searing fire in my back remained, I knew I had to get my strength together to help Katara and Zuko. The whole time Zuko carried me on his back, he kept blaming himself for what Azula had done to me and I didn't want my condition to upset him.

" _She never would've hurt you if it wasn't for me… I should've stopped her… I should've just surrendered to her… This is my fault…"_

 _Shaking my head against his shoulder, I whispered, "You couldn't have stopped her if you tried, Zuko… Ever since the day I met Azula, she immediately was set on finding a way to hurt me. It has nothing to do with you… She just likes the feeling of power, and knowing she can beat me fills her with that power…"_

 _He stopped walking as my words sunk inside him. Then he spoke again with sincerity. "I'm going to make her pay for the pain she's caused you… She'll regret ever burning you when I'm through with her."_

 _I fell silent as the determination in his tone lingered in my ears. As much as it filled me with warmth to know he cared for me enough to seek revenge, I also didn't like the thought of Zuko hurting anyone._

"We could combine forces, perhaps. I could try and freeze the rock above to make it firm, and then you could shoot a blast once there's enough tension. The force may be enough to break an opening large enough for us to pass. From what I could see, the surface before us isn't that thick. One blast may be enough."

Katara's suggestion made Zuko consider the possibility. He wasn't convinced it would work though. "I feel like all my blast would do is melt the ice and have no damage on the earth beneath."

My sister let out a deep breath as frustration filled her. "There has to be a way. We can't give up. Let's just give it a try…"

As Zuko nodded in agreement, and Katara prepared to freeze the wall, I managed to find my feet. Standing, I grimaced as the movement aggravated my back, but I tried to refrain from making a sound of discomfort. Instead, I stepped over to where Katara was already working on forcing the water to flow up the stone and freeze around the material. As she did so, Zuko stepped back and prepared to fire a blast at the surface. Taking up some water with what strength I could find, I backed up beside Zuko. They were both astounded.

"Crys, what are you-"

Cutting Katara off, I answered softly but with confidence, "Gran Gran told me a long time ago that Fire and Water don't work together… Growing up, I've always believed those words…" Pulling the water in front of me, I shut my eyes as my whole body protested. I kept a firm stance. "But I think she's wrong… If we combine our elements in one strike the hot and cold may be just enough force to break through."

Zuko, who held his body in a stance ready to fire, looked at me with uncertainty. "I get what you're saying, but your condition isn't the best to try this righ-"

"This is my choice... I know what I can handle," I promised. I knew if we didn't try it then and there, I would definitely lose what strength I had in me. The time for arguing was over. "Are we going to escape or not?"

There was a brief pause as Katara and Zuko both looked at me with bewilderment. However, Katara smiled weakly and gave a nod. "Okay. It's worth a shot."

As she continued to freeze the cave wall from the side, Zuko and I breathed deeply as we prepared to blast at the stone before us. "On three," Zuko suggested. "One…" I lifted my water higher, trying to focus on the objective rather than the sharp spasms in my back. "Two…" Bringing my water back, I focused on the target before me feeling beads of sweat drop from my forehead as my whole body shook. "Three!"

Zuko and I both threw our hands forward. Fire and water trailed alongside each other in synchronization as they traveled towards their destination. The two elements crashed simultaneously into the frozen wall before us causing a loud sound to echo through the cave. As the impact hit the stone, we were thrilled at the outcome. The tension that held the rocks together had grown so great by Katara's ice, that our elements broke the bonds of earth and formed an opening through the cavern wall. Steam and smoke filled the room only a moment later, temporarily blinding our view from the exit. After a moment, the fog settled and our visions cleared. Before us was a new exit, and beyond the rugged hole we could see the water continued.

"We did it!" Katara jumped with thrill, and turned to both Zuko and I. "You two were amazing!"

As she spoke, the rush of blood from the adrenaline that previously pumped through me had settled. As soon as my high was over, the pain returned and my legs shook. Zuko saw my stumble, and before I hit the ground he caught me around my waist to hold me up. Sweat trailed down my forehead as my back seared again in agony, but I tried to concentrate on the cave around me to distract myself and stay alert.

"You overdid it," Zuko stated with concern. "We should rest a moment."

Shaking my head, I tried to stand straight again to show I was okay. I gave a grimace as I regained my stance. "No… I'm alright. We need to get out of this place before the others come looking for us."

Katara went to argue, but stopped when I met her gaze with plea. After a moment, she let out a sigh of defeat and nodded. "Let's get moving then. The sooner we leave this prison the better I'll feel." She took the lead then, dropping into the crevice and wading through the water to squeeze in the narrow hole we'd formed. Once she was on the other side, we heard her gasp in astonishment. "You guys have to see this! It's like an underground city!"

Her encouragement led Zuko to hop down in the crevice as well. The water reached up to his knees. He turned to help me down, and I took his hand dropping beside him and having water fill my shoes. He then went first through the opening, and once he was through I followed. Passing through the narrow opening with as much precaution as I could not to let my back hit the walls, I finally made it into a room that was lit by glowing crystals on the ceiling above and on the ground around us. Surrounding us in the new chamber we'd entered were large stone burial chambers that were molded into the caverns walls.

"So…" I glanced around as Zuko hoisted himself out of the water onto the cavern floor. "We're basically surrounded by dead people…"

A grimace came on Katara's face. "Thanks for that visual, Crys."

Zuko and Katara took both of my hands and pulled me out of the water. The effect on my body from their pull was blinding pain, so I was relieved when they released me and the pain settled. Once I was on dry land, and I collected myself, I used my bending to take the water out of my shoes and the fabric of my soaked pants. Once I was dry, I did the same to Zuko who smiled with gratitude.

"Looks like the crevice we originally followed was an outlet for this canal." Katara said, pointing at the man made waterway that flowed in a unique architecturally designed rectangular formation. Large stone columns the size of trees sporadically stood along the canal with green crystals sprouting out of them. Beyond the columns was an enormous waterfall that provided the canal's main source.

"So… We have two options," Katara began. "We can either keep following the water which most likely takes us up to the palace courtyard, or we can go through the burial chambers and _hope_ they lead us inside the palace."

Zuko and I looked at one another with uncertainty. I spoke up after a moment. "I'm not exactly keen on the thought of walking through a maze of graves…"

They decided I was right, and we made our way along the water to the waterfall before us. The roaring falls deafened our ears, but was a relief to hear. Katara quickly stepped up to the larger section of water that glowed green from crystals below the surface. She froze a circular platform of ice, and gestured for all of us to step onto the slippery surface. Cautiously, we managed to keep our balance as Katara used the water from below to elevate us upward towards the top of the falls. As we were carried out of our crystal prison, Zuko made one last comment.

"I wonder how the crystals glow so bright?"

I smiled weakly, looking at the green crystals that surrounded us and lit the dark place we'd been thrown into. "Ask Sokka… He's the science guy..."

"You know… These crystals remind me of the ones back in the caves at the South Pole." Katara used her mastered bending to carry us out of the cavern, and once we were on the top of the falls she continued to push us through the narrow tunnel against the current. "Remember them, Crys? They were such a blue color that I was worried our skin would turn the same shade if we got too close."

At her words, I nodded remembering the cold icy cave of the South Pole we'd stumbled upon on one of our crazy adventures. The blue crystals had jutted out around us illuminating our new destination.

"Yeah… Dad told us when we got back that it was the cave he shared his first kiss with mom in… It's how I got my name…"

Zuko was surprised by this, and then smiled. "I'd always wondered where you got your name from."

Katara suddenly laughed as she pushed us further away from the green glowing room to the dimming sunlight ahead. "Dad also joked that if you hadn't been born a little after Sokka, they were going to give him your name just because they liked it so much."

"That would've been a hard thing for him to live with," Zuko muttered.

"And I would've never let him live it down," Katara promised.

A moment later we emerged outside in the blaring sunlight that was a fire red from its setting position. Katara was surprised by the time as we arrived in the palace courtyard at the place where the water made its exit. "How long were we down there?"

Zuko sighed heavily. "Too long."

Katara carried us out of the water and we all landed on dry land once the ice below us melted. When we were finally on a firm surface, my tense and cautious body relaxed which eased some of the discomfort. However, the courtyard was empty which made me feel greatly unsettled. I had a strong feeling in my gut Azula would be on to us in minutes.

"Let's get into the palace and find the king… Then we'll get out of here and get a message to Aang and Sokka." Katara began to lead us forward, but a call echoed from behind us.

"Halt!"

The three of us froze in horror when we heard a masculine voice from behind. Zuko didn't hesitate though, and turned sharply kicking his foot as he spun. Fire shot through the air at the Dai Li agent who had just thrown a large boulder towards us. His fire met the rock, and the heat broke it into pieces allowing us to evade it.

Just as the last piece of stone hit the earth, twenty Dai Li agents suddenly rose up from the ground behind the original man. In the center of them was a grinning Fire Nation princess who looked ready to kill. Katara panicked, realizing immediately that we were discovered, out-numbered, and wouldn't stand a chance. "Run!"

Before we could though, a wall of earth shot up behind us which blocked our escape. We all realized we were in trouble when we saw the barricade. Zuko tried to take on the brave persona and stepped in front of the both of us.

He snapped at his sister trying to remain firm, "Let us go, Azula!"

She stepped through the square-formation of agents and arrived at the front beside the original man who shouted at us. It was only then I recognized him as the man who had ordered his men to let me into the throne room where Azula waited to imprison me hours ago.

"Brother… I see you and your girlfriends escaped my prison. And without an earthbender at that. I'm truly impressed." She smirked. "I saw the hole you created, and I was amazed you actually aren't as disappointing as I believed you to be."

He growled at her insult, and stepped forward again to challenge her. I grabbed his arm quickly to stop him and jerk him back. If he attacked, he wouldn't stand a chance with so many men standing behind his sister. He'd be in a worse state than me.

"Ah, Crystal…" Azula crossed her arms with a sneer. "You don't want me to share some love with my brother? Would you like me to share some with you again then? We can have a second round. This time I'll be generous to actually let you defend yourself. I was a little bored last time because it wasn't much of a challenge."

Zuko threw his arm in front of me to stop me if I intended to listen. He took a step back, forcing me to step back with him. "Forget it! You've done enough to her! You're sick, Azula! You need help!"

She cackled. "I'm sick?! You're the one who's become a street urchin! You're the one who lost everything including father's love. You were sent away to hunt down a myth. You realize father gave you a task that he thought would be impossible. You were never supposed to capture the Avatar. You were never expected to come back home. I'm kind of relieved you didn't accept my offer today. Having you in the palace again would've been a pain. You belong in a cell, far away from your lover girl." Azula looked over at me. "While he rots, you and I will become the best of _friends_."

"Think again crazy!"

An unexpected voice called out from behind us. The stone wall blocking our escape suddenly disappeared, and Toph appeared before us with determination. I was stunned by her sudden appearance.

"Princess has all the friends she needs!"

A groan rang from above then, and Appa landed swiftly hitting a harsh gust of air towards the enemies before us. They all covered their eyes from the dust and wind that rushed at them. A moment later, Aang, Sokka, and Iroh managed to drop down from Appa's back and rush over to us. The sun was setting much faster now, and the courtyard was growing dimmer causing our shapes to be darker than before. I knew if it got too dark we wouldn't be able to fight without sight.

After the dust settled, Azula growled from across the courtyard. "Look at this. The cavalry has arrived." Her eyes shot to the older man who didn't fit the group. "I see you've chosen your side as well, _Uncle_."

Iroh stepped over to us with Sokka and Aang. "You convinced me which side I found more pleasing the moment you struck me with lightning."

She sneered. "Pity it didn't kill you!"

Sokka yanked out his boomerang, and Aang got into a stance ready to fight. Aang looked over at us with worry, and Momo peered over his head from where he sat on his shoulder. "Are you all okay?"

Katara responded with relief. "We are now that you're all here."

My brother spoke then. "Well if it wasn't for Aang's vision, and Iroh's help we would've never made it in time. We managed to get the King and his bear out of the palace prison. We should get out of here while we still can."

"What are you all waiting for?! GET THEM!"

Azula's sudden cry rang out across the palace courtyard, cutting off Sokka's plan. Fire, Water, Earth, and Air shot through the area a moment later as we fought against the determined officials before us. I did all I could to help, but my strength was starting to fade. The pain in my back from the spreading infection was too distracting for me to hit a single target. Azula noticed my weakness from where she stood behind her guards, because before I realized it I was dodging and blocking her blue flames more than anyone else.

As she threw another bright stream of searing fire at me, I brought up more water to block the attack. Her force however met my block with enough impact that I was sent stumbling back and collapsing onto my side. Just as I feared my moment of weakness would be my undoing, a figure stepped in front of me and began to glow bright white. Gritting my teeth to calm the pain, I looked over with blurred vision to see the figure was Aang. Wind started to pick up around us, and the ground shook beneath me.

As Aang went into the Avatar state, Sokka's hands grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to my feet. He managed to back us up from Aang as the young Avatar gathered his spiritual energy to attack the army before us. As he became engulfed in a ball of light, Katara, Zuko, Iroh, and Toph kept firing their blasts at the enemies before us to offer him some back up. The Dai Li kept strong for their new leader, but from where I stood I could see they were terrified of the spiritual being before them. A few of the men in the back retreated from fear, racing off towards the exit that led them out of the palace walls.

Out of the chaos, five Dai Li agents found their courage and rushed forward to restrain us. Sokka left my side racing towards one of the agents with his club, while the others fired at the remaining ones.

As the wind picked up, and the ground started to crack beneath the enemy, I felt a small spark of hope within me that we would win. We would actually stop the Fire Nation from taking over Ba Sing Se.

However, my hopes were destroyed. A bright stream of light shot from the center of the Dai Li's army towards the floating Avatar. My eyes widened with horror as I saw the young boy who had once been glowing bright within a large ball of illumination fall to the earth below. Smoke from Azula's strike still hovered in the air, and the crack of her lightning echoed around us. The cry came out of me before I realized I was doing it.

"AANG!"

Katara had seen the attack and was one step ahead of me. Taking water from the channel beside her, she used the stream to shoot her up to Aang and catch his falling body in the light of the setting sun. Then she lowered herself and Aang back to the earth and held him to her on her knees surrounded by a puddle of water. Tears poured out of her eyes as she clutched on to the injured airbender. The world's last hope…

Appa let out a groan of despair as he saw his friend had been injured, and threw his tail down hard with fury hitting a group of agents with air causing them to fly back. Sokka smashed his foot on a Dai Li agent's chest so he could rush over to aid Katara and Aang. As he rushed to their side, Iroh, Zuko, and Toph continued to fight the other agents who flung large stones towards us but kept their leader safe behind them. I tried to help, but my water was losing its force minute by minute and I was doing more dodging than actual fighting.

"Everyone! Get on Appa now! We need to get out of here!"

Sokka's order met all of our ears, and we tried to inch back towards Appa while continuing to fight the agents. Azula scowled and shouted, "Don't let them escape!"

"Crys! You heard Sokka!" Toph suddenly shouted as I flung water at another agent who dodged easily. Toph stomped her foot sinking the agent into the ground, and then grabbed my arm jerking me towards Appa. Her pull sent pain through me, but I did not give in to the exhaustion. "We have to go!"

"We won't make it," I protested. "They'll shoot us out of the air before we get over the palace walls."

"Go!" Iroh ordered behind me. "I'll hold them off!"

His words stunned me, and I went to protest. He didn't give me time though. Iroh jumped in front of us all as the Dai Li stepped forward to cease us. He got into a stance ready to attack if anyone made a move. As he did so, Azula scowled with frustration and lifted her hand. The Dai Li stopped from their next attack and waited for her order.

She spoke with disgust. "What are you doing, Uncle? Do you really want me to attack you again? You know I will."

The older man faced his niece and her minions with bravery as he answered, "I will protect this world from the evil you wish to bring upon it. I will not let your filthy hands destroy the beauty that remains."

Her jaw clenched. "Then you've sealed your fate." She snapped at her men then, "Cease him! Cease them all!"

"Iroh!" I cried, struggling from Toph's grip. "Don't do this!"

He looked back at me briefly, and I saw determination in his wise golden orbs. "You kids will be fine without me. I'll see you all again very soon. Go while you can. Get the Avatar out of here."

"NO!"

Zuko's shout caused Iroh to look back over at his nephew. "Zuko…" He smiled and his eyes became moist with tears. "I'm so proud of you my son." He turned and shot more fire at the men before him. This time his fire spread out in a wave that hit every single Dai Li agent in front of him. Azula watched the scene in a mixture of shock and rage from behind her corrupt earthbender shield.

"Uncle!"

Zuko tried to rush to Iroh's aid, but Sokka grabbed his arm to stop him. "You heard him! We have to go, Zuko! He'll be okay!"

Tears fell from my eyes as I watched Iroh fight off the Dai Li with his unbelievable firebending. Iroh was truly a master, but I knew he would be outnumbered once we left. Toph held my wrist and jerked me over to Appa who waited anxiously for us to make our escape. The King already sat on the giant flying sky-bison's back with Bosco curled up beside him. Katara was there as well, and held Aang to her on her knees with sobs.

Toph snapped as I resisted, "Crys! Come on! Aang's hurt. We need to get out of here and get him some help. Iroh know's what he's doing!"

Toph's words brought me back to present. I knew she was right. With defeat, I shed a final tear for Iroh and followed her to the giant tail of Appa. Once we were on his giant back, I collapsed onto his fur on my hands and knees with exhaustion. Only a moment later, Sokka shouted from somewhere nearby, "Appa! Yip yip!"

Appa jerked his body for takeoff, and I grabbed his fur tight to keep from slipping. As we left the earth and flew into the sky, I felt my body shake with exhaustion. The fighting could be heard from below for a moment, and then as we gained distance a whistling breeze was the only sound left. It took a minute after takeoff for my horror to diminish. Then the pain and exhaustion came back as the danger passed.

None of us spoke for a long time as the events of all that occurred settled within us. Katara managed to gather her thoughts long enough to pull something out from inside her shirt. She looked at the vile of clear liquid with uncertainty, and then bit off the cap. "Zuko… Help me hold him up," Katara pled.

Zuko, who had been holding on to Appa's fur beside me, managed to crawl over to Aang. As he took the unconscious boy in his arms, Katara lifted up Aang's shirt to expose the damage that Azula's lightning strike had inflicted. A tear fell down her cheek as she pulled the water into her palm and it began to glow.

Zuko noticed the water gave off a much brighter glow than the water Katara used to heal me earlier. "What is that?"

She spoke softly as she pressed the water to Aang's back. "It's water from the Spirit Oasis back at the North Pole. It's supposed to have special healing abilities." The glow suddenly shot through the arrows on Aang's body, and a moment later the young boy grunted and groaned from the pain. We all looked over at him with relief, glad to see he was alive. Katara took him from Zuko's arms and held him close to her, letting her tears drop on his head.

Knowing Aang was alive, I felt as if I could finally calm my racing heart and let go of my strength. As I collapsed into Appa's fur, Sokka yelled my name in worry. Shutting my eyes, the pain in my back seared from the burn Azula had given me hours before. My body was lifted from the soft fur, and I was cradled in someone's arms. My head fell against the shoulder of whoever held me, and I felt my senses begin to numb.

"Here… Put this on her… It's cold up here," Sokka's voice softly spoke. Fabric tickled my skin, and I opened my eyes weakly to see Zuko's shadowed face in my line of vision. The moonlight behind him shone around him as if he were some divine spiritual being. His familiar touch was felt only a moment later as his thumb brushed a strand of hair back from my face. The warmth of his touch was the final comfort I needed to let my weary body relax.

 **Third Person POV**

The moon hovered high above as the group glided through the night sky. Toph scowled as Appa flew further away from the Earth King and his bear. They'd just dumped the two off in some random area of woods after the Earth King encouraged them to do so. He wanted to explore the land and see the damage that the Fire Nation had done.

"What a coward," Toph muttered. "He just knows that if he sticks with us he has to deal with the war still."

Sokka, who sat at the front of Appa in his undershirt, attempted to steer without a rein by tapping Appa on the side of his neck to tell him which direction to turn. Momo sat on his shoulder looking over at Aang's unconscious body with sad eyes. Sokka responded to Toph with his own irritation. "I'm kind of relieved we got rid of him though… He and that bear were just slowing us down. His whining was starting to get on my nerves. We have two injured people, but all he cared about was how uncomfortable he was."

"He's a king…" Katara muttered. "What do you expect?" She brushed her hand against Aang's forehead to give him a comforting touch as he slept on. "Doesn't matter… The sooner we get to the warriors camp, the sooner I can get Aang somewhere comfortable so he can recover. Same with Crystal..."

Zuko sighed, shifting Crystal in his crossed legs as he tried to situate himself for her comfort. She was unconscious from the exhaustion of the past few hours, and he was in a way relieved that she had finally gave in to her defeat. The shirt Sokka had taken off and handed to Zuko rested over Crystal's exposed skin to keep her body from freezing by the chill of the night air. He himself was exhausted from the events of the day, and also concerned for his Uncle's fate. However, he knew his Uncle wouldn't want him to dwell on his wellbeing, but instead focus on getting Crystal and the Avatar help.

"Hmm… I wonder how the warriors are going to react with Sparky showing up too…"

The nickname Toph gave Zuko was a surprise to his ear. "Sparky?"

She smiled weakly, crossing her arms. "Part of the group means a nickname from me."

"What?" Sokka looked back with bewilderment. "Then what's my nickname?"

Toph sighed. "Unfortunately there are too many names to choose for you Sokka, and I don't have enough time to figure one out."

Sokka pouted. "Can I pick one then? What about Sensei, or Chief? Those have good rings to them."

"Chief?" Katara was appalled, although she was glad for the distraction. "Are you trying to be the leader again? Are your instincts going to come back into play?"

Sokka scoffed. "You still won't let that one go. My instincts get us out of situations. You should be thankful for them."

As Sokka and Katara started to bicker, Toph fell back on Appa resting her head against his fur in disbelief as he flew leveled with the air. On the other hand, Zuko listened to the siblings bicker and thought about his sister Azula. At the moment all he felt for Azula was hate, rage, and vengeance. She had not only tortured Crystal, and almost killed Aang, but he had no doubt she was imprisoning Iroh too. He had a feeling the next time he saw Azula he wouldn't be able to hold back his rage. Sister or not, Azula had shown him her true self and he wanted nothing more than to inflict pain on her. She'd pay for the hurt she'd caused him.

"Zuko…" Sokka suddenly spoke again from where he continued to steer Appa. Zuko looked over at him with question. "I just wanted to thank you for what you did… I know it couldn't have been easy turning against your sister like that, but I owe you for your help. If you weren't there to protect my sisters, I'm scared to think things could've been much worse."

Zuko let Sokka's words sink in, and then he frowned in disagreement. "Don't thank me… You should be blaming me… The only reason Crystal is in the state she's in is because Azula wanted to hurt me. She knew I wouldn't care about the pain she caused me physically, so instead she hurt the one thing I cared about instead. Crystal is injured because I wasn't strong enough to defeat my little sister."

Katara spoke up this time. "Don't say that… If your sister wasn't such a coward and hiding behind her earthbending bodyguards then we all could've defeated her. She used the corruption of the Dai Li for her own gain, and that's the only reason she won this time."

Toph added, "And if you ever try and blame yourself for what happened today while Crystal's conscious, I'm sure she'll freeze your lips together."

Zuko grimaced, knowing Toph was right.

"How bad is Crystal hurt, by the way?" Sokka asked with sudden brotherly concern. "I saw the mark on her back vaguely, but it was getting dark."

Katara glanced over at her sister who was resting in Zuko's hold similar to the way she held Aang in her own. "Bad… A few of her ribs are bruised… The burn on her back though is the worst. There were boils and blisters all over her skin, and she was bleeding at the center of the damage. She's not going to be able to lay on her back for a good while, and I'm worried if we don't wrap it soon it will get infected. I- I didn't think about using the water from the oasis at the moment I tried to heal her… I should've..."

Toph let out a deep breath. "But then you wouldn't have had the water to heal Aang… You did the right thing Katara. I'm sure Crystal would agree with me."

Hanging her head, Katara shut her eyes to stop the tears that wanted to fall again. "Yeah… I guess so."

The group fell silent once more from the exhaustion they all felt. The prior events that had led them to flee Ba Sing Se in an abrupt flight lingered on each of their minds. Azula had full control over Ba Sing Se, and soon she would know the invasion plans once she interrogated the Council of Five. Their plans were ruined, and there was nothing they could do about it at the moment.

"There it is," Sokka spoke after a good hour of silence. "The warriors are camped below. I don't know if anyone's here because of the mission, but at least we can get these two inside shelter and let Appa rest."

Zuko looked down at the scattered dark tents that were illuminated by the light of the moon over the bay's water. A bonfire blazed at the edge of camp, and the closer they reached land the clearer the fire became. Zuko began to see three figures standing by the fire, and he knew immediately they weren't arriving to an empty camp.

Only a moment passed by until Appa landed on the sand below. Once they were firm to the ground, Toph slid off Appa and hit the rocky earth with relief. She had been blind on Appa and felt useless as the others cared for the injured.

"Sokka! You're back!" The three warriors from the fire had rushed over to the group, and Jaka was relieved to see his cousin was okay. Upon hearing Jaka's voice, Zuko's eyes widened at the familiarity. His eyes shot down to the young man below them, and he was astounded to see it was the same guy who had helped Kona kidnap Crystal so long ago.

Sokka jumped into action, stepping over to Aang and Katara. "Let's get him inside dad's tent. There's enough furs in there to make him comfortable." As Sokka and Katara worked on carrying Aang off of Appa, Momo ran to follow them worried for his airbending friend. Once they maneuvered down Appa's tail, Kona rushed over to give them a hand.

The oldest of the group took over by taking Katara's place from where she held on to Aang's legs. "What happened to you all? Who did this to the Avatar?"

Katara was astounded at how different Bato's eldest son looked in the moonlight. She hadn't seen him in three years. Coming out of her thoughts, she answered weakly, "Princess Azula shot him down while he was in the Avatar state… He's alive, but weak." She choked up a bit.

Kona was horrified. "Princess Azula… The Fire Lord's daughter? She was in Ba Sing Se?"

The sound of Kona's voice alerted Zuko, and he held Crystal closer to him with uncertainty. Jaka and Kona were both here, and they were the two men who kidnapped Crystal from him some time ago. He couldn't believe he was stuck in the same camp with the two guys who'd tried to rip Crystal from him. Of course they were Water Tribe warriors, so he didn't understand why it surprised him so much. He was in the Water Tribe's camp. He was in the territory of his prior-enemy.

Sokka, who carried Aang by hooking his arms around his own, answered Kona with defeat, "She still is… Ba Sing Se has fallen…"

As the three headed off into the darkness of camp with the unconscious airbender, Jaka and Areto were coming face to face with Zuko. As the young prince managed to carry Crystal off of Appa, he was greeted at the bottom of the large sloped tail by the two unwelcoming water tribe warriors.

Jaka crossed his arms with distaste as he took in the appearance of the Fire Prince cradling Crystal in his arms. Hakoda's words soared through him, and he jumped into action. "I can take my cousin from here."

Zuko stared at Jaka with narrowed eyes, and stepped back with refusal. "Why? So you can kidnap her again?"

Jaka's jaw set, and he stepped forward. Areto watched the two with uncertainty, wondering if he should intervene. As his eyes trailed from Jaka to Zuko, he eventually glanced at the figure in Zuko's arms who glowed in the fire and moonlight. Seeing Crystal for the first time in three years, Areto was bewildered by how much she had physically changed. While her hair was shorter, her teenage curves were finally showing. He could only imagine how beautiful she probably looked in the sunlight. Zuko caught the mesmerized stare and glared at him from where he stood.

"I don't have time to deal with you," Zuko spoke carefully, controlling his irritation to keep the peace. "Leave us alone."

"Areto," Jaka suddenly spoke. "You remember Hakoda's orders." He stepped forward, reaching for the sword he kept tied to his waist. Areto hesitantly reached for his own sword.

Zuko was stunned that the other presence before him was the guy Crystal had been promised to by her father so many years ago. Seeing the young warrior in the moonlight, he could tell Areto was physically strong from years of training. He had a feeling he could beat him in a fight though. He'd faced worse combatants.

Toph spoke up then, seeing that the water tribe warriors were about to attack Zuko, and reminding everyone of her presence. "Hey! Why don't you get her in a tent before you men start thrashing each other? She's already injured enough. I doubt throwing her around will make her feel good in the morning."

At Toph's words, the two warriors released their weapons knowing she was right. Zuko saw the danger had passed, and made to step in the direction Sokka, Kona, and Katara had rushed off to with Aang. Jaka intercepted his path though.

He held his arms out. "Hand her to me."

Zuko shifted her in his own arms, snapping, "I can carry her just fine."

"Clearly you can't protect her though," Jaka hissed, dropping his arms to his side with tightened fists. "Otherwise you wouldn't need to carry her because she's been injured. Hand over _my_ cousin you Fire Nation beast."

Instead of doing so, Zuko moved along to walk past him. Jaka grabbed his shoulder threateningly to stop him. Zuko felt the strong hand on his shoulder, and immediately rage boiled inside him. He snapped at him, "Take your hand off of me!"

He made no move to do so. "Put down Areto's fiance."

Jaka's word's irritated Zuko more, and he snapped, "She's no one's fiance! She has the right to choose her own path! Stop controlling her life!"

Jaka growled. "This is coming from the firebender that tore her from her family and locked her in a cell!"

Areto added, "What her father decides for her is none of your concern, you beast! I can take care of Crystal better than you ever could!"

Zuko clenched his jaw. "Well I didn't see you protecting her at the South Pole that day I came for the Avatar."

His words caused both Jaka and Areto to turn defensive. Jaka grabbed his sword again, and Areto snarled. Toph sighed heavily at the tense air and possible fight.

"Stop," a small voice spoke up. Everyone was surprised by the new sound, and looked at Crystal who weakly opened her eyes. She was having a tough time keeping conscious, but she had heard her cousin and Areto's voice and got some of her senses back. She understood what was going on, and through her weak state she wanted to stop any violence from breaking out. "Put me down, Zuko…"

Zuko hesitated, concerned that she'd fall as soon as he did. He complied though, carefully placing her back on her feet. Once she was standing, she clutched the sleeve of Zuko's shirt to keep from falling. He held her arm, worried she'd fall and hurt herself more.

Jaka stepped forward to grab his cousin, but she met his gaze and from the fire light he could see irritation. "I really don't feel like fighting with you," she softly stated. "All I want to do is lay down and rest… But clearly that's not going to happen until I speak my mind…" Her eyes blurred as pain rushed to her head. Her back spouted with a burning sensation as the infection started to spread from the uncovered wound. "You all will not touch Zuko…. If I find out any one of you have hurt him, I'll never forgive you..."

Areto was astonished by the truth behind her words. He'd never heard Crystal show such protection over anything but her family. As he began to see first hand the relationship Crystal had with the Fire Lord's son, a new feeling arose within him. Jealousy…

As if something sparked inside him, the thought that Crystal had chosen a firebender over her own kind suddenly disturbed him. Areto spoke up out of disbelief. "You're definitely not the Crystal I remember…" At his voice, she looked at him with question. Since he had her attention, he continued. "Three years ago you would've never gone near a firebender, much less clutched onto one like that."

Crystal stared at the man across from her with heat rising to her face. His image started to blur as her strength started to leave again. She tried to remain coherent though. "Three years ago… A lot can happen in three years Areto… I thought you would've changed too..."

The words of his father- Bato- and Chief Hakoda came rushing back through him. As much as he wanted to give Crystal and himself a chance to choose their own paths, the image of her holding onto a firebender sent him over. He'd lost friends and family to the Fire Nation, and Crystal had as well. How could she be so foolish to forget everything in the past and love the son of the enemy?

"You always were the strange one of your brother and sister," Areto continued. "The wild one. Maybe that's why your father was so quick to chose a husband for you." He stepped forward again, wanting to suddenly claim what he felt belonged to him. "Clearly you need guidance…"

Zuko scowled, placing his arm in front of Crystal protectively. "She doesn't need guidance from a bunch of men that left her and the others at the South Pole to go play soldier!"

Jaka was outraged by his words, and grew defensive once again. "Who are you to judge us?! Because of your kind my aunt is dead and many of my friends too!"

"My kind!" Zuko growled. "I'm not some animal!"

"What are you then?" Jaka spat, crossing his arms. "Because all I see is a filthy bastard!"

Zuko's fist tightened in frustration, but he knew he had to keep his cool for Crystal.

"Jaka… enough…" Crystal felt her legs shake, but the thought of passing out kept her upright. She didn't want to leave Zuko defenseless against her cousin and the guy who was suddenly possessive of her. "Zuko isn't the bad guy… he wants to help us. Please stop being so cruel..."

Her defense only frustrated both Areto and Jaka more. Areto glanced over at Jaka, who nodded at him. In the light of the moon, Jaka took his moment. With speed, he rushed forward grabbing Zuko by the shirt collar. As this occurred, Areto rushed to catch Crystal from stumbling to the ground as her grip was lost from Zuko's shirt.

"Guys! Stop!" Toph smashed her foot, and Jaka was knocked back by the earth lifting beneath him. Zuko stumbled back once he was free, staring at Jaka on the ground with bewilderment. Crystal weakly pulled against Areto, who held her to him by pressing her back against him. The touch of his back to her wound intensified the pain, and she cried out from the fire coursing through her skin.

Zuko was horrified by her pain. "You're hurting her! Let her go!"

Areto remained firm, although he did release his hold ever so slightly to not hurt her more. She stumbled as her strength gave out on her, and her body overheated from an infectious fever. Zuko and Toph both went into action. As Zuko rushed for her, Toph shot up earth between Areto and Crystal to cut him off. Zuko caught Crystal as she fell, and they both lowered to their knees. His hand pressed to her forehead and immediately panic filled him when he felt her burning skin.

"HEY!" Sokka shouted as he ran back over to the group. The sound of his sister's distress had made panic fill him as he was headed back from the tent he'd placed Aang in. "What's going on?!" When he got to the area, he was horrified to see Jaka on his back and Zuko kneeling beside Crystal on the ground.

Areto came around the stone wall with fury. "Whose side are you on, kid? You're an earthbender!"

Toph crossed her arms. "If you're the Areto I've heard of, then I'm on Sparky's side one hundred percent." She then directed her next comment to Sokka. "Zuko isn't receiving the warmest welcome from your kin, Sokka. You may want to intervene."

Sokka stepped over with disbelief and looked at both Areto and Jaka with disapproval. "I told you both earlier that Zuko's one of us now. Can't you put your animosity aside for one second and focus on what's important?"

Jaka got to his feet, and walked over to Sokka with frustration. "We were given orders from Uncle, and we're only carrying them out."

Facing his cousin, Sokka snapped, "I don't care what dad ordered! As long as Zuko is part of this group you can't touch him. And right now this quarrel is foolish! Crystal needs medical attention! She doesn't need a bunch of guys fighting over her!"

He turned sharp on his heel and headed over to his sister. Without a word, he crouched down and looked her over to assess her condition. Zuko met his gaze, and tried to focus, "We need to get her wound wrapped… I think it's infected."

Sokka nodded. "There's a tent with medical supplies not far from here. Let's get her there first and then we'll treat her." He glanced over at Toph. "Make sure Appa is okay, and then you can get some rest."

She went to argue that she could help, but decided it was best not to test Sokka at the moment. Instead, she turned to give attention to the flying pal. As she did so, Sokka and Zuko managed to get Crystal back on her feet and start to guide her towards the tents. She barely made it three steps without collapsing, and both guys caught her from hitting the earth. Sokka quickly scooped her up onto his back so they could get to their destination.

"Sokka…" Her soft voice cracked as hot feverish tears fell from her eyes. She rested her head on his back too tired to lift. "Don't let them hurt, Zuko… He's good… He doesn't deserve-"

"Crystal… Zuko's okay," Sokka promised. "Just relax." He then said to Zuko, "I'm sorry about them… I didn't think they'd be at your throat so soon."

Zuko frowned. "I expected the violent welcoming. I just wish they would've given me time to take care of Crys first before they pounced like that… And clearly your father won't be anymore welcoming when he and the warriors get back..."

"We'll deal with that later," Sokka muttered. "Let's focus on one problem at a time."

As they continued to walk towards the tent where they hoped to treat Crystal's injury, she shut her eyes and began to lose her strength. As her body gave in to exhaustion, the last thing she recalled was being placed down on her stomach atop some warm furs. The voices in the background, and the fire light seeping through her lids all faded away as she lost the last bit of strength she had.


	44. Her Prince Charming Part 1

**Here it is! The update you have been waiting for! And better yet... Part 1 and Part 2! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Third Person POV**

A giant Fire Nation ship loomed on the horizon as the Water Tribe warriors made their return from the battle they'd won. A wooden vessel crafted by the Southern Water Tribe was already anchored offshore and five water tribe warriors stood beside Kona having delivered their message to him about the enemy ship's capture. Sokka and Katara stood by the water anxious to see their father and the other men of the tribe. While this occurred, Toph and Zuko kept their distance uncomfortably by the simmering fire feeling out of place.

Sitting on the large log beside Zuko, Toph sensed his frustration. Not to mention the sound of his tapping foot was driving her insane.

"What's up with you Sparky?"

Her question brought Zuko out of his thoughts, and he shut his eyes to calm the sudden anger that boiled inside him.

"I'm blocked from my injured girlfriend." He stared at the fire with intensity. "Jerk One and Two are using pointy weapons to ward me off."

Toph was astonished. "Wait! They seriously won't let you see her?"

Zuko scowled, tightening his fist as he recalled the events of before. He'd awoke from a much needed sleep in the tent he and Sokka were staying in an hour ago. He'd then gone to visit Crystal, having immediately thought about her and wanting to make sure her fever was down. He hastily approached the tent only to find Jaka and Areto were at the entrance. They refused to let him pass, and he didn't want to fight them too tired from the events that had recently occurred the night before. In defeat, he shot them both a nasty remark and stomped off.

He replied to Toph in a tense tone. "No. And of course she's unconscious so she has no say."

The earthbender felt defensive for her new Firebending buddy. "What about Sokka? Did you tell him?"

Zuko let out a deep sigh of frustration. "No… He's too distracted with the return of his father and the other warriors. So is Katara... I get it, I guess… They've waited years to be reunited with their father."

Toph shook her head. "Still… It's not right that you can't see her. If she wakes up soon, she'll be disappointed you're not with her."

He ran a hand through his hair, and shut his eyes in defeat. "If I were as hotheaded as I was before I met Crystal, I'd have gotten through those dolts by now... But I don't want to cause conflict… If I anger any of these people, I'll be forbidden to ever see her again."

She scowled. "They can't stop you two from seeing each other though. I know Princess… If she were herself right now, she'd be fighting those two off with water whips to be with you."

He hung his head, and a pain filled his heart. "I can't let her attack her people to protect me again… She's already done that once, and I hated the guilt she bore on her shoulders. I won't ask her to betray her family."

Toph growled. "So what? You're giving up. That doesn't sound like the Prince I've heard about all these months!" She jabbed him in the arm with her elbow, and he yelped in pain. She then stood with tight fists. "Look sparky! If there's one thing I know about Princess, it's this: She would choose you over her tribe any day. She won't give up on being with you, so you shouldn't give up on being with her." Toph grabbed his shirt sleeve and jerked him up to his feet. She then yanked him away from the fire. "Come on!"

Zuko was astonished by the small earthbender's bravery. As she jerked him through the crowded area of tents, they approached the tinted blue tent that was guarded by two men looking in deep conversation. When Jaka saw the two approaching figures, he nudged Areto with his elbow and they both stood firm.

Toph shouted with determination as she pulled Zuko along. "Hey! Boneheads! We've come to check on sleeping beauty!"

Areto was stunned by the young earthbender's bold actions, but when he saw the firebender being pulled behind her he quickly grew defensive and stood his ground. "Toph, right? I don't think now's the best time for anyone to see her. Katara checked on her a little while ago and said she still has a fever." He shot his eyes to Zuko with a scowl. "You two should just head back to the fire before trouble ensues. I can take care of her just fine until Katara gets back. I've done it before."

His last words made Zuko defensive. "What's up with you? Why are you so worried about me seeing her? Are you really trying to stake a claim on her? She's not an object to be possessed for your personal gain!"

Areto was baffled by his accusation and then outraged. "Personal gain?! You think _I_ want to be chief?! It doesn't even work that way in our tribe! Sokka will be the next chief most likely! And I have no desire for that role! The only thing I want at the moment is to ensure Crystal doesn't spend the rest of her life with one of the monster's that took so many of our people from us!"

"I've _never_ once hurt any of your people! Don't tie me as a murderer or raiding savage! The only time I've ever stepped foot on your freezing snowy land is when the Avatar made his appearance."

"And then you kidnapped Crystal taking her as your prisoner! You are _still_ the enemy in my book, and I will not let you anywhere near her!"

Zuko growled. "From what I see you all are the ones keeping her prisoner! You're locking her away from me! Let me through!"

Jaka stepped forward to stop Zuko's advance, pointing his sword at him from a few inches away. "My cousin needs rest. You can see her when she's awake. Get lost!"

Zuko went to speak, but Toph was one step ahead of them. "You all are going to get an ear full when Princess wakes up." Her foot stomped on the ground then, and the earth beneath Jaka and Areto's feet lifted up sending them both sprawling to the side on their backs with yelps. As they were momentarily dazed, Toph snapped, "And just wait until Sokka finds out you both are being idiots again." She then yanked Zuko into the tent and they both stepped into the small space letting the flap close behind.

"Alright, Sparky. You chill with Princess. I'll go keep those two in line," Toph stated.

Zuko was astonished by her actions, but he smiled weakly with gratitude. "Thanks Toph… I owe you one."

Toph smirked. "Yeah. Don't forget it."

She turned and stepped back out of the tent letting the flap fall behind her. Once she was gone, Zuko let out a deep sigh and looked over to where Crystal lay on some layers of furs. She was on her side, and her face was tightened in discomfort. He could see that she indeed still had a fever from the flushed cheeks and beads of sweat. Stepping over to her, he knelt so he was beside her. His hand reached over to the bowl and rag beside him, and he brought the damp fabric to her face to alleviate the heat of her skin. As the coolness touched her skin, her heavy breathing slowed and she relaxed into the furs.

"Sorry it took me so long… I had to get past your dad's henchmen…"

As Zuko spoke, he brushed a strand of hair from her sweat covered face to cool her skin more. The heat of her flesh concerned him, and he placed the back of his hand on her forehead feeling the fever was still strong.

"I wish I could stop the pain for you," he whispered, inching down so his face was near her. "I should've tried harder to stop Azula… This is all my fault." He shut his eyes tight as he kissed her cheek, and then when he pulled away he sat back up with a deep sigh. "Some prince I am, huh…? I couldn't protect you from pirates or Zhao… I let the Dai Li snatch you from under me… And the moment you needed me most, my sister overpowered me and hurt you…"

He pulled the blanket Sokka had placed on her the night before back over her shoulder. "I'll never understand why you still love me after all of the pain I've caused you… Any other girl would've given up on me, but you still keep fighting to be with me…" He pressed the rag to her forehead again. "You're one strange woman…" He smiled weakly when he saw the crystal charm he'd given her so long ago was still rested on her collarbone. "But that's why I love you…"

As Zuko continued to be with Crystal, Toph stood outside the tent with her arms crossed and narrowed glazed eyes. Areto stood across from her with irritation. After a moment, he spoke with annoyance. "You can't stand guard all day! Let me in!"

Toph kept her composure. "Go run along with the other guy going to get back up. I'm not moving."

"What's your issue kid?! You're an earthbender, but act like this Fire Nation prince is your best bud. What's your beef with me?"

Her nose twitched. "You want to know why I don't like you? Fine. It's because you remind me of the people from my past. When I was little, everyone told me what to do every day of my life. They controlled me and kept me from the outside world. They kept me from my happiness." She shut her eyes. "You want to control Crystal and keep her from her happiness. That's why I don't like you."

Areto growled. "I only want to take care of her! I promised her father I'd look out for her!"

Toph scoffed. "She doesn't need nor want your protection. She's stronger than you and her father give her credit for."

He stepped forward. "She may have grown strong over the years we've been gone, but she still needs guidance. And she needs that guidance from someone of her tribe, not some banished prince!"

She shook her head in disbelief. "Crystal doesn't listen to her brother. What makes you think she'd ever listen to you?"

Areto went to argue, but he didn't get the chance. For at that moment a voice broke in. "The warriors are back, Areto. You may want to go help them unload the spoils of war instead of harassing my friends."

Sokka headed over, having only a moment earlier overheard Jaka tell Kona that there was trouble brewing at the tent Crystal was in with his brother and the outsiders. Sokka had been distracted by his father's return and felt awful for leaving Toph and Zuko on their own. As Katara embraced her father who had just been brought to shore on a dinghy, Sokka turned and headed through the encampment worried for Toph and Zuko. They were both outsiders in this place, and he knew he had to go make sure they were alright. When he arrived and saw Areto yelling at Toph, he knew he needed to step in before violence broke out.

"Hey Sokka. Thanks for leaving Sparky and I hanging. Don't worry, though. I'm handling the situation," Toph promised.

Areto growled. "No! You're getting in my way and helping the Fire Lord's son! What's wrong with all of you?! He's the enemy!"

Toph smiled. "Not from what I see. He's not the one pointing insults at people continuously."

"I don't have to be nice to that royal prick! Move!"

He stepped forward, but Sokka was already two steps ahead. Grabbing him tight by the arm, he snapped, "Areto! Knock it off!"

Areto glared at Sokka. "Let me go! What would your father say?!"

"I don't care," Sokka snapped. "You're starting to get on my nerves. And from what Kona told me you were originally against being promised to Crys! What changed?"

Areto jerked his finger towards the tent. "That thing in there with your sister is what changed! I don't know what I was thinking when I said she should have the right to be with who she chooses. When I saw her defend that beast last night, I couldn't stand it! She can't fall for one of the monsters that have destroyed this world! And he kidnapped her? How can she love the guy who ripped her from her home?! It makes no sense!"

Zuko who had heard the commotion outside, suddenly emerged from the tent with disbelief.

Sokka shoved Areto's hand down. "It's not your business! This is between Crystal and Zuko! Give it a rest!"

"No! I won't! She's promised to me! I won't lose her to him!" Areto shoved Sokka off and then turned looking at Zuko. "You want her, huh? Then let's fight! Me and you! Here and now! We'll do it like they did in the past. The winner gets the chief's daughter!"

Sokka was baffled. "What? That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard! This isn't the rock age again! Get yourself together Areto!"

Zuko crossed his arms. "I'm not fighting you. Crystal isn't something to be won!"

Toph added in an insult at the water tribe warrior she wanted to bury in sand. "And I doubt you'd be a match for him bonehead."

"Sounds like you're a coward to me,"Areto snapped. "If you want to prove you're better for her, then let's go!"

"No! There won't be any fighting," Sokka demanded. "Get lost, Areto! Go cool off!"

Areto shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere!"

Sokka tried to pull him from the tent. "I wasn't asking!"

"Gentlemen! That is enough!"

The deep but powerful voice that shouted from behind brought everyone's attention to the group coming towards them. Katara walked beside her father with worry, while Hakoda approached the four that stood in front of his injured daughter's dwelling with narrowed eyes. Behind them followed Kona, Bato, and Jaka.

As the group approached, Zuko stared at the leader that had just spoken with sudden anxiety. Crystal's father stopped in front of the four, and his eyes scanned the group before him with disapproval. Sokka released Areto who immediately stepped back. Toph stepped beside Zuko ready to defend him if he was ganged up on. Katara looked over at Sokka with knowing eyes, and he jerked his head to the tent. She nodded and walked around the group heading inside to check on her sister.

"Dad… I can handle this," Sokka promised.

Hakoda stepped closer to the group, and his eyes met Zuko's with malice. "Handle it… That wasn't what it looked like to me." He shot his eyes toward his nephew Jaka, who met his gaze with question. "Go help Katara." Jaka wanted to argue, but he understood what Hakoda really wanted. As he went into the tent to ensure his cousins didn't interfere, Sokka looked at his father with disbelief.

"Prince Zuko… We meet at last," Hakoda spoke, but his voice wasn't at all inviting. He stepped up to Zuko who was trying his best to keep composed. Zuko however felt sweat bead down his forehead as he came face to face with the father of the woman he loved.

Zuko went to speak, but his voice was lost to him as he struggled for what to say.

Hakoda spoke anyway, not giving him the chance. His next words were packed with spite. "I've heard much about you from not just my children, but from my own people. You're the one who _invaded_ my village, _attacked_ my son, _kidnapped_ my daughter throwing her in a cell, _hurt_ Katara at the North Pole, and almost captured the Avatar-the world's _last_ hope… I've longed to meet the one that caused my children and people so much pain and trouble! The Fire Lord's son in the _flesh_. This is the moment of a lifetime."

"Dad! Stop!" Sokka took a step, but Kona intercepted by rushing forward and grabbing Sokka's arms to restrain him. Bato stepped over to Areto who watched the scene with both surprise and relief. Sokka shouted out again, "You promised you'd be cool! Zuko isn't the bad guy anymore."

Toph observed the scene with disapproval, and her feet stayed firm on the ground in case she needed to intervene.

"Sokka! Silence!"

Hakoda's order made Sokka snap his mouth shut in shock. Hakoda turned his attention back to Zuko. "I have much I want to say to you, but at this moment I will only say this. You may have my daughter's heart, and you may be a new member of the Avatar's team, but you will never be a guest to the Southern Water Tribe. As long as you are here, I will have you under surveillance. You may claim to be good, but I know your past. You are nothing but the banished prince of the Fire Nation. You could turn on my people in a second, and I will not let my guard down because of it." He crossed his arms and stood firm. "As for my daughter. This relationship ends now. Once Crystal has recovered, we will go forward with what _should_ be. She will marry Areto, and then he will escort her back to the South Pole and away from you."

Zuko couldn't stay silent any longer. The rage within him reached its peak. "I won't allow that, _Sir._ And she won't either."

Bato spoke up. "You have no say in the Chief's decisions for his daughter. My son and Crystal are a match that has long been chosen by us. Your relationship with her ended the moment you stepped foot in our camp."

The Fire Prince stood straight and tightened his fists. He looked over at Sokka, who was blown away with disbelief by the actions of his father and the other men. He then looked over at Toph, who looked ready to start an earthquake from frustration. Looking back at Hakoda who glared at him with animosity, he shook his head.

"Your daughter and I have a bond that can't be broken that easily, Chief Hakoda. Fate is strange, but it has paired us together. I won't let you or any of your men tear us apart." He shot his eyes over to Areto then, and sudden confidence fell over him. "You want to battle still? Fine. I accept your challenge. A sword fight. Me and you. If I win, this promise of Crystal being yours is forgotten. If I lose, I'll be the Southern Water Tribe's prisoner just as you really desire. Do we have a deal?"

Areto was stunned by the young man's confidence, but he knew what he had to do. "Deal."

Hakoda watched the exchange with irritation, but he could see this was the best solution. "Very well… As chief, I promote this challenge. This fight will take place in an hour. I will add only one thing. If you lose Prince Zuko, you will never speak to my little girl again."

Zuko was stunned by Chief Hakoda's addition to the wager. Sokka protested and struggled in Kona's grip. Areto nodded in approval. Toph scowled in disbelief.

After a moment of thought, Zuko let out a deep breath and shut his eyes. He was confident he could win the fight, but he also felt sick at the thought of never speaking to Crystal again. The pause passed, and he gave in. He nodded in agreement. Meeting the Chief's gaze, he spoke once more. "I accept your conditions, Chief Hakoda."

Sokka shook his head, snapping, "This is foolish! I object to all of this!"

Hakoda met his son's gaze. "You have no say in this matter, Sokka. This is between Areto and Prince Zuko. Worry about your sister's health, and leave this matter to me."

Toph spoke up at last. "Yeah… I definitely understand why Crystal didn't want to see you men when we were in Ba Sing Se. You guys are control freaks."

Hakoda looked over at Toph. "Toph BeiFong, correct? It is best to stay out of these matters. You are a welcomed guest here. Don't make me regret that." He moved his gaze to Areto. "Prepare yourself. Your father and I have faith in you. I chose you for my daughter for a reason." He turned then, saying to Bato, "Let's leave these young men to prepare for their battle." He and Bato headed away then, and as they did Kona released Sokka and grabbed his younger brother by the sleeve pulling him away to help him prepare. Once it was just Sokka, Toph, and Zuko a silence fell over the three of them.

After a long pause, Sokka spoke up directing his words to the Fire Prince. "Zuko… Are you certain you can do this? Areto may look like an idiot, but I've seen him fight… He know's how to handle a sword well."

Zuko met Sokka's gaze with confidence. "I've been trained since I was six to hold a sword, Sokka... I won't lose."

Toph smirked. "I like your determination, Sparky. If anyone can save Crystal from that possessive jerk, it's definitely her prince charming."


	45. Her Prince Charming Part 2

**PART 2 of Her Prince Charming! Enjoy!**

 **Crystal POV**

My body felt so heavy, and my mind was in a foggy haze. As my senses came back, I could vaguely hear the sound of two voices bickering back and forth. One was female, and the other was male. The voices grew louder by the second as I regained more connection with my body. Once the voices were audible, I caught immediately that they belonged to Katara and Jaka.

"... gonna lose! What are they thinking? We have to stop this madness! You know this is wrong! You know it is, Jaka!"

"Katara… I can't allow you to interfere. I promised Uncle I'd keep you and Crystal both out of it. This is between the men. It's best you stay here and worry about Crys. If you want, I can even escort you to the Avatar so you can check on him."

"We're not the North Pole! Don't treat me like they treat their women! I have a voice, and I will speak my mind! This fight is foolish! Someone will get hurt!"

"I told you the rules. No killing is allowed. The first person to yield is the loser. The fight won't last long so no one will be hurt too terribly."

"And then what? My sister is going to be forced to marry a guy she doesn't love! This is madness! You all are treating her like a voiceless doll! She has a right to choose who she spends the rest of her life with!"

"Your father-"

"My father is blind by prejudice! He's being a fool!"

"Katara. Enough!"

"No Jaka! I'm not going to stand by and let Crystal lose her free will! I promised her I'd do something about this!"

Opening my eyes, I saw through a blurry mess two figures standing across from where I lay. The taller one blocked the smaller figure's path. As my tune to reality grew stronger, my back felt hot and I cringed in pain. The fever had broken though. I knew this because the heat that once coursed through my body and boiled my skin was gone. Although I was soaked with sweat, I was relieved the worst of the infection was over. Katara's healing had restored my health, and I knew I had to get my strength.

"Ka… Katara…" I found my voice, although my throat was parched from thirst. I had gathered enough from their conversation to understand something was happening that needed to be stopped. "What's going on… Where's Zuko?"

At my cracked voice, Jaka and Katara turned their gaze toward me in surprise. Katara was relieved to find I'd come back to the world. "Crys! You're awake! Thank the spirits! The infection in your back caused you an awful fever." Katara came to my side and dropped to her knees. "You had us all worried."

As she spoke, I began to get control of my body once again. I'd been on my side to stay off of my back, and I carefully moved so I didn't fall onto the damaged skin. Slowly finding my stability, I sat up fully, letting the blanket drop from my body. My chest was covered by my shift, and I had bandages wrapped around my midriff to cover the damaged skin that started to pulse once again from my movement.

Katara's hand had grabbed my shoulder to assist me as I sat up. While she supported me, she brought towards me a flask of water saying, "You need to drink."

Pushing the flask back, I met her gaze seeing my vision had cleared. My voice was still weak, but I managed to get it out. "What's going on? Where's Zuko?"

She frowned and brought the flask back toward me. "Drink first. Then I'll tell you everything." Knowing she meant it, I willingly took the drink this time not realizing I was actually dying of thirst until the water slid down my throat. After drinking a good amount, I pulled it away and my eyes looked over at Jaka. He was watching me from where he stood at the tent entrance, and I could see he too was glad I'd finally woken.

Looking back at Katara, I asked eager to know, "What's going on?"

She frowned, dropping her gaze to her knees. "It's not good Crys… Sokka and I tried to talk sense into dad when he arrived this morning, but he's completely lost it. The moment he saw Zuko, he was a totally different person."

My blood went cold, and I felt worried. "What's happening? Where's Zuko? Has father hurt him?!"

Katara shook her head. "No… But I fear he may get hurt if we don't do something. Him and Areto are having a sword fight now as we speak. Sokka tried to stop the madness, but Kona and a few other warriors are keeping him from getting in the middle of it. Toph came to tell me all of this. She said she couldn't take the idiocy any longer and now she's hanging out in Aang's tent."

Jaka spoke up, keeping his posture in front of the tent entrance we were in as if that would stop me. "This isn't madness Katara! This is your family looking out for Crys. I'm not going to let my cousin's blind fancy for this prince tear her away from her people."

The words Jaka spoke had no effect on me. The only thing rushing through my mind was an image of Zuko and Areto clashing swords to decide _my_ fate. A sudden burst of strength fell over me, and I shoved my blanket off fully. Managing to move to my feet, Katara grabbed my elbow to assist me from the furs I'd been on. Then she left me briefly and grabbed a shirt from a bag on the floor. She knew what I intended, and she nodded to let me know she had my back as I took the shirt from her. Once I had the thin shirt on with Katara's assistance, I walked over to the boots that were sitting against the wall of the tent and yanked them on each foot.

"You're not leaving this tent! Lay back down!" Jaka stepped over to stop me from preparing myself further. As he went to grab me, Katara and I were two steps ahead. Katara intercepted by grabbing his hand with a stream of water from her pouch. He shouted at the restraint, while I took my chance and darted around him. Rushing out of the tent, I cringed immediately at the cold air and bright sunlight. However, the shouts and cheers in the distance kept me moving across the sand to the one I loved.

Darting around the scattered tents of the Southern Water Tribe encampment, I arrived at an opening where the warriors were crowded in a circle shouting cheers for Areto. Not paying attention to who I shoved aside or darted around, I made it to the front of the crowd and looked at the sight before me with horror.

Areto and Zuko were both in the center of the human circle that surrounded them, and the water tribe swords they each held were shaking as the blades struggled against one another. My father stood across the circle from me, his eyes on nothing but the fight before him. Bato and his son Kona were restraining Sokka's arms as my brother watched the scene with terror. The other warriors kept shouting their cheers for Areto as he fought to take away my freedom.

The opponents broke apart with grit teeth, and then Areto lunged at Zuko again who spun to the right to dodge. As Areto gathered his stance, Zuko swung the blade towards him. Areto turned in the nick of time, blocking his brunt force again with his sword and causing sparks to fly. As they fought, I could see Zuko was still exhausted from the day before and looked as if his whole body were shaking. Areto grinned as he shoved harder against Zuko's blade knowing he had the advantage.

"You're powerless without your fire, boy. Give up!" He tried to kick at Zuko's foot, but Zuko caught his action and stumbled back to avoid the trip. Both Zuko and Areto breathed heavily, but it was clear the fight was only just beginning. Areto recovered and lunged forward. "Crystal belongs to me!"

No one had noticed me still, and as the fight continued I shoved back through the crowd who were too busy shouting like idiots. Rushing over to the bay water that licked the shore a few yards away, I yanked up the salty liquid ignoring the pain that immediately shot through my back. As I pulled a giant wave from the sea over my head, the vast amount of water rushed over me blocking the sun above. The shadow of my massive wave raced along the sandy shore straight towards the crowd of men. As the water hovered over the group, the fighting came to a stop as gasps filled the air. Dropping the water on every man in the circle, the liquid drenched the warriors and caused Zuko and Areto to drop their weapons in shock. Once the rest of my wave was absorbed into the sand, and the crowd stood dripping wet in disbelief, I stepped back over with silent irritation. Shoving through the soaked men, my feet sloshed through the wet sand until I reached the center of the circle once more. All eyes turned to me at last, realizing I was the cause of everyone's dripping bodies.

"Enough!"

My father, who's hair dripped at the tips of each strand, looked over at me with bewilderment having never seen me waterbend before. He was only slightly different from when I last saw him three years ago. His hair was longer, and he looked stronger. He still was as stubborn as ever though. As his blue eyes met my own, I felt confidence burn within me. Stepping into the center of the circle, I tightened my fists prepared to defend my honor and the guy I loved.

"I pass out for only twelve hours, and when I wake up I find out my freedom is on the line. Definitely not the best start to my day," I commented. My voice was strong despite how tired my body felt. "And not only that, but my own father wants to give me away like some mindless object… I'm not thrilled. In fact, I'm a bit hurt by the selfish act!"

Father was stunned by my words, and by my bravery. The last time he saw me, I was a scared and scarred child who listened to the elders of my tribe. The only times I spoke to the tribe as a whole on my own was in song for their entertainment. I'd changed, and I would show them all that I was in charge of my destiny.

"I know what's going on, and I'm putting a stop to it. To _all_ of it." Stepping up to my father, I crossed my arms and kept eye contact with him. "Dad… I am not marrying Areto. At the moment, I'm not _marrying_ anyone. There is too much to be done right now for me to become someone's wife. There is an Avatar that needs to be healed and a war that needs to be won. I'm content with how things are, so leave me and my life alone."

A small pause fell over the air. Then my father finally spoke with narrowed eyes. "Content? You're content with how things are?" He crossed his arms to try and return his authority. "You fall in love with a firebender! And not just any firebender at that, but the very one that _kidnapped_ you. You have completely forgotten who the enemy is, and the thought makes me sick!" He darted his eyes to Zuko with malice. "This foolish romance where the Chief's daughter falls for the prince of the enemy will not become a reality! I forbid it!"

Anger boiled within me, and I let loose my true thoughts. " _You_ forbid it? You have no say in what I do with _my_ life! You left me three years ago to go play soldier! I've been doing just fine deciding my own future. I don't need the men of my tribe to decide anything for me!"

"How dare you speak to me that way?! I am your father and-"

Hot tears escaped me and I cut him off. "No! You stopped being my father the day you stopped looking at me!" I pointed at my face and he cringed. "The day I got this, I became nothing but a painful memory to you! Every time you saw me, all you could think about was mom and how much you hated the Fire Nation. The only reason you're giving me the slightest glance right now is because I've finally found the courage to stand up to you and your absurdity!" I looked at Areto then. "And as for you! As much as I appreciate everything you did for me after mom's death, I've never felt anything more for you than a brother. You are better off being with a woman that loves you back rather than one that has _no_ desire to be with you."

Areto was astonished.

"And as for the rest of you men…" I looked around at the warriors who stared at me with surprise and disbelief. "Aren't there better things you could be doing with your day? If we were back at the South Pole Gran-Gran would be boxing all of your ears!"

As if my words had some effect on the crowd, a large majority inched away from the circle and headed towards the shroud of tents in embarrassment. Others who were too curious for their own good stayed to see what would transpire.

"Crystal!" My father's commanding voice made my gaze shoot back to him. "That is enough!" He stepped closer to break the distance between us. "The only reason I've let you ramble on is because I know you're not yourself at the moment. It's clear to me that everything you've been through has greatly impacted your rationality. You have been without fatherly guidance, and that ends now. Yo-"

"You're wrong," I interrupted softly. He stopped speaking in surprise. "I've had enough fatherly guidance to last me a lifetime these last few months. Being with Zuko and his uncle, I've learned how to be strong and wise. Iroh taught me so many wonderful things about the world… Things I never knew being stuck in the South Pole… I have a whole new perspective on life. Plus, I've learned to read… Something you told me I had no need for... Books are magical worlds full of knowledge and adventure."

I frowned and hung my head. Taking a deep breath, I spoke on.

"I've also learned that my past doesn't define who I am. Before Zuko took me from the South Pole, I always looked in the mirror and saw myself as a memory that caused everyone pain. My scar was all I ever noticed in my reflection, and I beat myself up for causing such unbearable memories to others around me." I smiled weakly. "But then I met Zuko, and all of that changed…" I looked back at Zuko who smiled back at me with love and relief. Looking back at my father, I continued, "Zuko saw past my scar and loved me for my strength rather than my weakness."

Areto spoke up then, snapping, "And you think I can't do that? Give me some credit!"

Shooting my gaze over to Areto, I crossed my arms. "Be honest… Why are you so desperate all of the sudden to make me your wife? I don't want to hear that it's what the tribe wants. I've heard that enough. From what I recall long ago, you told me that you didn't agree with the plan our fathers had for us. Why the change of heart?"

He was embarrassed as I targeted him. Then he tried his best to make up an excuse. "Because when I saw you last night on the verge of death, I realized I want to be the one to protect you!"

I scoffed and crossed my arms. "Protect me… If you truly wanted to protect me, you would've never left a couple of kids to defend the tribe three years ago! What did you all think would happen once you men rushed off to war? If Zuko hadn't come to our village, what makes you think another Fire Nation ship wouldn't have arrived off our shores in his place? Your excuse is invalid!"

A rough hand suddenly grabbed my arm. "I said that is enough!" My father forced me to turn to him, and his eyes looked into my own as if he were meeting a stranger. "What is with you? What have you done with my little girl? You are not the daughter I raised!" He tightened his grip as if he were trying to squeeze the past me back.

"Dad!" Sokka had finally broken from Kona and Bato's holds and rushed forward. He grabbed my father's hand and ripped it off of me. "That's enough! I promised Crystal I'd defend her, so here I am fulfilling my promise." He stepped between father and I taking authority. "The daughter you remember at the South Pole disappeared the moment she broke out of her shell and showed her strength. When I found out Crystal could waterbend, and when I saw her attack Zuko to save Aang, I saw my sister's true self for the first time. She isn't a scared little girl who needs constant protection! I've seen her overcome more battles over these last few weeks than you can imagine. Crystal has fought with more strength and bravery than any water tribe warrior I know. No matter how much you try to control her life from this point on, my sister will never stop until she earns her freedom."

Sokka let out a deep breath and looked back at Zuko. He shared a long moment of eye-contact with him, and then a smirk formed on his face. He winked as if to give Zuko a signal, earning a puzzled expression from the both of us.

He then stepped over to me and put an arm around my shoulders. "And if you must know dad, Areto is too late. Crystal and Zuko are already engaged. So technically her being promised to Areto is no longer valid."

A roar of protest rang from the circle of men, while my father was horrified by this news. Zuko and I were both flustered and stunned.

Sokka pointed suddenly at the area of my collarbone where the crystal gem rested, stating, "The betrothal necklace you see here is proof in itself."

My eyes stared at my brother with bewilderment, while Zuko's jaw dropped.

"And as her elder brother, and her temporary guardian for the past three years, I, Sokka of the Water Tribe, give Zuko and her my blessing."

A silence fell over the crowd as they took in Sokka's words. My father stumbled over his composure, searching for the words to say.

Areto was skeptical. "What?! That's absurd!"

Sokka stepped up to me suddenly and forced me to turn. He then moved my hair and took the necklace Zuko had given me so long ago off of my neck. He then walked over to Zuko handing the necklace to him and saying something low enough for only him to hear. Zuko was astounded, but then he smiled weakly with a nod. My brother returned to me then, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward Zuko.

"Show them," Sokka said. "This time you can do it in front of all these witnesses."

Zuko looked down at the necklace in his palm and then smiled. He turned to me with confidence.

My heart began to pound rapidly, and my face flushed at the sudden moment I was about to witness. As Zuko looked into my eyes with deep sincerity and love, my breathing hitched at the coming question.

"Well… This wasn't what I pictured in my head, but I guess it will work." His cheeks turned red in embarrassment. "At least the bay is pretty, so the setting isn't awful…" He held up the necklace then with both hands. "Crystal…" He smiled weakly, although he dropped his gaze suddenly nervous. "Sokka's given me his blessing, so there is no turning back now…" Sokka stepped over and shoved Zuko a step closer making us both turn red from blushing. He swallowed and met my eyes. "You're the one thing on this earth I want to love and cherish for the rest of my life." His words made the weariness and pain in my body fade as warmth spread through me. "Once we defeat my father and end this war, I can't imagine living out my remaining days without you. Will you do me the honor of accepting my proposal and this necklace? Will you be my wife once this craziness ends?"

Tears filled my eyes, and I choked back as my heart and head soared with elation. Time seemed to stand still as I stared into Zuko's golden orbs remembering the first time I laid eyes on him. He'd once been the man I feared, but after months of knowing him his outer shell melted away into the man I loved. His kindness, bravery, strong will, and determination were the things I truly loved about him.

"I wouldn't want to be with anyone but you, Zuko," I promised, smiling up at him with great sincerity. Turning, I moved my hair again and he returned the necklace to its rightful place. As he did, I felt his lips brush on my cheek and my heart fluttered at the gesture.

He whispered as he finished placing the necklace back on me. "There… Back to where it belongs…"

"And there you have it, gentlemen!"Sokka chimed. "My sister is an engaged woman! Zuko has scored her love and affection! This duel is officially over!"

"ENOUGH!"

My father stepped over suddenly and grabbed my arm jerking me from Zuko.

"Come with me!" He dragged me from the circle of men who were speechless with astonishment at the events that just transpired. Zuko went to stop him, but I looked back shaking my head. I knew the only way I was going to get to my father and cool him down was if I got him alone. Zuko stopped with shock, but when he saw the determination in my eyes he nodded in understanding. As we left the crowd, and father pulled me away from the campsite along the sandy shore, I had to quicken my pace to keep up. After a moment of racing after him, he stopped by the water of the bay and released me.

A silence fell over us as my father calmed the irritation he must've felt inside him. After a long pause, he took in a deep breath and turned to me once again.

"Who are you?" His question didn't surprise me at all. "What have you done with my little girl?" He grabbed my shoulders and shook me as hot tears filled his eyes. "How can someone who has been hurt so much by the Fire Nation turn her back on her own people… on her own family?! Have you completely forgotten who you are? Have you forgotten that you are _my_ daughter? How can you turn against me in this way?! Getting engaged to some monster's spawn is worse than you stabbing me in the heart!"

I frowned and grabbed his wrists. "Dad… Calm down… Please…"

"Calm down?! How do you expect me to calm down when you and this _beast_ are head over hills for one another?! Has the trauma you've faced affected you so terribly that you've forgotten your place in this world! You are the chief's daughter! You are a symbol to our tribe that we will not be defeated! How can you be in love with the very thing that tried to kill you and turn our tribe to dust?!"

I felt myself become defensive over the young man he threw insults at. "Stop it! For goodness sake father! Get a grip!"

He was stunned by my words, but he released me and stepped back.

I let out a deep breath to calm my anger and try to be civil with my father. "Look Dad… I'm sorry our reunion had to be this way, but the moment you try to take away my freedom is the moment I make my stand… I have been kidnapped, beaten, burned, kicked off a giant sandsurfer, and shoved into a cold cell by the Dai Li…" Father cringed at each disaster I listed. "I've struggled tirelessly these last few months to earn back my free will and my life… So when I wake up to Katara telling me that Areto is trying to fight the man I love to make me marry someone I do not, I can't stand by and do nothing… I'm not someone who can be won like a prize… My heart is not yours or any other man of this tribe's to give. I am not the silent obedient child you remember. I will continue to fight for my freedom."

My father took in every word I spoke as if he were finally hearing me for the first time.

"And as for a _symbol_ to the tribe… You're wrong about what I stand for. The scar on my face may reflect the dark roots of our past, but I don't live in the dark anymore. I'm not some damaged _child_ who reflects the loss of our people. I am a woman who desires to be a strong waterbender and show the world I'm no longer afraid. I symbolize hope for a future where I'm not defined by my past. When I see Zuko, I find he is similar to me in that way. He may be the Fire Lord's son, and he may have been conflicted a few months ago trying to capture Aang, but he too has found his own hope for the future. He is not defined by his father or anyone else in the Fire Nation. He wants to help us heal this world and find peace… He is a brave man with a pure heart… He is not the _beast_ you refer to him as. That is why I love him!"

As father gathered the truth behind my words, his tense shoulders and the frustration seemed to fade. He then turned toward the bay staring out at the horizon as his thoughts ran wild.

"Love him…" Taking a deep breath, he finally spoke, and his voice was much softer and calmer. "Crystal… Do you know why I chose Areto to be your husband?"

I waited a moment to answer, startled by his sudden question. "You wanted to tighten the bond of the tribe… After so many lost to us, you thought a powerful bond between Areto and I would be the healing our people needed. And you felt he could take care of me because he helped to restore my health after I almost died..."

My words hung in the air. After a moment, my father let out a deep sigh and responded, "No… I chose Areto because I owed a debt to his father. And that debt is yours as well." He looked over at me with composure. "Do you remember the day you fell through the ice?"

His question threw me off.

"What…? I… I don't remember much… I remember falling through the ice… It was cold and I was sinking away from the light above… After that everything went dark. When I woke up I was back at our hut under piles of blankets with an awful cold..."

Father met my eyes. "Do you remember who pulled you out of the water that day?"

I was stunned. "I… I thought you saved me… I… I never really asked…"

He shook his head. "No… Bato saved you that day. He saw you fall through before I did, and he jumped in. You lived that day because of him. I asked him how I could repay him, and his answer was that I give his sons important positions in the tribe. That's why I made that deal with him. I promised him that I would pay him back for saving you. I promised him that Areto and you would be wed when you came of age, and our families would be one. Your marriage was to be my way of saying thank you. You owe him for saving your life that day as well. For the good of the tribe and your family, you have to choose the correct path. You _must_ marry Areto."

Although I was stunned by this information, it didn't change anything. I stayed firm in my decision. "You may be right that I do owe Bato for saving my life that day, but… marrying his son isn't the way… you told me long ago that if I find someone who sweeps me off my feet you'll reconsider the deal…" My hand clutched the necklace Zuko had returned moments before. "Well Zuko's swept me off my feet more times than I can count. He loved me enough to give up his one chance of going home yesterday… He's a good man…"

Father shook his head. "As the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe I cannot-"

I scowled. "Stop it!" His voice cut off. Tears fell down my cheeks. "Can't you stop being the Chief for one second, worrying about foolish debts that need to be paid and an image that needs to be upheld, and just be my father again! Can't you accept what I want for once and actually support me!"

He looked greatly frustrated. "What are you saying?! I've supported you since you were born! I've done all I can to sustain you and your brother and sister! I've spent many of nights staring at the sea and fearing the worst fell over you all. When I found out you were captured by the Fire Lord's son I became sick with worry! I _am_ your father!"

My voice shouted back, "A father doesn't sell his daughter to repay debts!"

My father did not move as my words hovered in the air. A long pause fell between us, and I could see my words had finally gotten through his tough exterior into his heart. My face was moist with tears and the sea mist, and I tried to wipe the water as my vision blurred.

"Zuko makes me happy… He protects me and takes care of me… He's the one I want to love and cherish, not Areto… Why can't you see that?" I hugged myself as I shut my eyes to try and stop the pain in my heart. "Are you truly that blind by prejudice to tear me away from the man I love? Are you really that cruel to give me away like some soulless object? I don't see you for three years, and the moment we're finally reunited you're trying to do away with me like some burden. Am I really just payment to you? Do you even see me as your daughter? Why do you want me married off so terribly? Do you hate me?!"

My father stayed silent as he took in everything I spoke. I figured he was trying to come up with another argument or insult to throw at Zuko. However, after a few minutes of staring at me with silent shock, he stepped forward abruptly and threw his arms around my shoulders. Pulling me into his chest, I was stunned as my tears soaked into his fur coat. In anger and hurt, I tried to break from his hold, but he held me firm. His unyielding embrace was so familiar, that I broke down as the emotions flooded out of me. Sobs escaped me, and I stopped fighting him. Instead, I dropped my hands to his shirt and grabbed the fabric tightly. My forehead rested below his neck as I cried into his chest. He pressed his face into the top of my hair, and then his hand brushed through my knots. His shoulders I could sense were heavy with guilt.

"No… I could never hate you, daughter. I'm sorry…" He whispered the words but I could hear him clearly. "I should've never treated you like something to give away so carelessly all those years ago. You are right to feel the way you do... I wish I could take back everything, Crystal…" He paused to take in a heavy breath. His words were sincere and full of regret. "Giving your heart away like a prize was selfish of me… I'm sorry…"

The comforting grasp of my father felt like home, and it was at that moment I realized how much I'd truly missed his presence. During my time in captivity, and my time roaming through the Earth Kingdom, I'd been distracted by everything happening that being homesick wasn't that much on my mind. Now as I felt my father's strong and protecting embrace, I realized the feeling of homesickness had always been there within me.

"You've become such a beautiful and strong woman… I can't believe how much you've grown…" Pulling from me ever so slightly, I met his gaze to see his eyes glistening with tears. "Your brother and sister were right… You're not the same as you were back at the South Pole. The little girl I remember has become so strong-willed and head-strong. As your father, I am proud of you for standing up for what you want. You have the blood of a chief in you, and now I see that."

He then sighed heavily.

"Crystal… I will not make you marry Areto… You're right… That deal was foolish and I should've never forced you into it… I'm a horrible father for acting in such a way. Your mother and grandmother tried to knock sense into me, but I ignored them earning their disapproval and your anger. I hope you can forgive me for the pain I've put you through…"

I had trouble believing him. "You promise?"

He sighed heavily. "Yes… If there's one thing I can do to earn back some of your trust then it's annulling your engagement to Areto. I will find another way to repay my debt to Bato." He brushed his thumb across my scar, and I knew doing so was a difficult thing for him. He did not cringe though, and instead dropped his hand with defeat. "As for Prince Zuko… You have to understand that it's going to be a little hard for me…" He grabbed my hands and squeezed them both. "I'm going to need some time to open my heart to this. Having my daughter fall in love with someone from the very nation that has killed so many of our own… It feels so surreal…"

I wiped my eyes on my sleeve to try and regain my composure. After a moment, I nodded but smiled weakly. "If you get to know him though, you'll see he isn't that different from any of the other warriors here." I met his gaze. "All I ask father, is that you give him a chance. It would mean so much to me."

He brushed a thumb over my scar again, and then his hand pressed against my cheek to caress it. "I can only promise that I'll try. As a chief and a father, I will hear him out and give him a chance." He looked down at the necklace then with uncertainty. "If he's going to be my future son-in-law I have the right to interrogate him."

I grimaced. "You don't need to interrogate him… He deserves to be treated as an ally rather than an outsider."

He stepped back and looked over at the bay again. "I will remain civil and open-minded… However, I will not allow you and him alone with one another from this point on. You may see each other, but I do not like the idea of you two being on your own. This is not the Chief side of me speaking… This is the concerned father."

I rolled my eyes. "We've been on our own before and I promise nothing has happened between us. You can trust me."

Father met my gaze with all sincerity. "I trust you, daughter. However, I will never be able to trust that boy as long as the Fire Nation still has an edge in this war. He _will_ be watched."

Shaking my head, I knew there was no way to argue with him. Instead, I crossed my arms and looked down at the sand below me. "Whatever… Do what you must… But this won't change anything between Zuko and I… Hopefully you'll see he isn't the monster you still believe him to be..." Turning, I headed back in the direction we came but stopped. Looking back, I spoke one last thing. "Thank you for listening… And I did miss you, dad… You weren't the only one who stared out at the sea with worry. The months I was a prisoner on Zuko's ship, traveling to unknown realms and facing terrifying foes, I thought about you often. No matter how much I disagree with your feelings towards Zuko, I do love you and am glad to see you healthy and well. I want you to know that."

My father was both surprised and relieved by my words. He then hung his head in response and turned towards the bay to hide the tears I knew were falling. Leaving him to his thoughts, I sighed heavily and made my way back to the campsite. As I left thoughts of my father behind, my mind flooded with images of the day before. My back flared in pain once again, but I ignored it to my best ability.

Aang was my number one concern at the moment. The Avatar had yet to show himself, and I knew that meant he was greatly injured. I only had one desire as I returned to Zuko, who was waiting anxiously at the edge of the campsite with Sokka. When I got back, I let them know all was well and father was calmed down. Then I told them the worry I felt for Aang. As Sokka and Zuko followed me through the campsite towards Aang, Zuko took my hand in his giving it a tight squeeze. I knew from the squeeze he was utterly relieved that the worst had passed.

Areto tried to stop us as we went to check on our friend, but I took charge. "It's over Areto… The deal is off. I'm thankful for all your family has done for me, but I will not marry you for it. We both deserve happiness, and you won't find yours married to me."

He was stunned, but after a moment of standing his ground, my words got through to him. With defeat, he stepped aside to let us pass. I was relieved that he hadn't lashed out again.

I was also relieved about many other things: First, I would not marry Areto. Second, I was free to be with Zuko. And finally, although my father was still greatly against my feelings towards the Fire Lord's son, I knew he didn't want to fight me anymore. As my burdens lifted, the necklace on my burning chest felt nice, and I grasped it with my free hand. Although it was all an act that Sokka came up with a while ago when he claimed I was already engaged to Zuko, I knew that Zuko's proposal was sincere. I had a feeling Sokka and my father knew it too.

I was officially engaged to Zuko, the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and the love of my life. The betrothal necklace I grasped in my hand was the proof I needed to know that I was in no way dreaming. Once we defeated Zuko's father I would become more than the girl Zuko kidnapped from the South Pole and fell in love with. I would become his wife, and he my husband. The thought made my heart flutter with elation and anticipation at the future ahead.

Fate was strange, but it had brought me a prince charming worth fighting for.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it! I'll try and get the next chapter done soon! Thanks for reading and your support! Best!**


	46. Not His Father

**Next Chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Crystal POV**

A heavy breath escaped me as I stepped out of the tent I'd just forced Katara into. It had been three days since I'd told my father to give up on the arrangement he'd made with Bato. While my father was still highly against my relationship with Zuko, he didn't bring up Areto anymore to me. I was sure he discussed many things out of earshot with Bato and the others, but I knew he wouldn't press his desires on me again. He probably realized it would be a losing battle. As for Areto, I hadn't spoken to him since the day I dropped water on him to stop his foolish match with Zuko. He'd been avoiding me like the plague, and I knew it was because he was embarrassed. Whether that embarrassment came from his foolish actions or losing to Zuko was a mystery to me though.

Looking back at the darkness of the tent, I smiled weakly shutting the tent flap to block out the moonlight. "Rest up, sis… I'll take care of him."

She hadn't slept but more than eight hours in the last three days, stressing over Aang who had yet to wake up. Promising I would watch over Aang for a few hours, I managed to convince her to go sleep when no one else could. Guiding her out of the tent Aang was in, I supported her exhausted body as I took her to the tent where I'd originally woken up. The sun had set an hour ago, and the moon was beginning to rise by the time I got her into the shelter and onto a sleeping mat.

As Katara laid down, I undid her tangled braid and managed to get her wavy hair free. She'd been so worried about my health and Aang's that she hadn't taken care of herself. Since my back was feeling better from her treatments, I was starting to feel like myself again. As I felt myself again, I started to get back into my older sister role. When I looked in on Katara and saw her dragging eyes and shaking frame kneeling beside Aang, I knew it was time to intervene.

Heading back across the campsite away from Katara who finally was getting the sleep she needed, I made my way towards Aang's tent where Zuko was waiting inside for me. He'd originally walked with me to check on Aang and Katara, and when we got in and saw Katara almost passing out I told him to wait there for me while I took care of her. Not liking the idea of him being alone in such a grudge holding community, I sped up my step. However, a figure stepped out of the shadow of a tent and intervened before I could make it halfway back..

Stopping abruptly, I was astounded to see Areto in my path. Astounded and also anxious. We hadn't spoken in three days, so I wasn't sure what was going on in his head. Stepping back, I looked around to see if anyone else was there. Everyone else was either scouting, smoking at the fire back at the edge of camp, or sleeping.

"Areto," I acknowledged, but then quickly tried to step around him. He stepped in my path again with crossed arms. I narrowed my eyes as I was forced to a stop. "I need to get to Aang. Can you please move?"

He shook his head, and then stated looking away from my gaze, "I need to talk to you."

Crossing my arms as well, I tried to stay firm. "Can't we talk tomorrow morning? It's late, and Zuko's waiting for me."

Areto's jaw clenched when I mentioned Zuko, but he tried to keep his composure. "Just a moment of your time. Then I won't bother you again."

At first I wanted to refuse and tell him to get lost, but the sincerity in his voice caused me to give in. I dropped my arms in defeat, saying softly, "Fine… What do you need to say?"

"Not here." He grabbed my hand suddenly and pulled me through the campsite swiftly. I was stunned by his abrupt action, but followed him knowing that hearing him out was the best way to make him leave me alone. After a few moments we reached the outskirts of the camp and the sound of the waves lapping against the shore filled my ears.

Once we were alone, he released my hand and stepped back. Silence fell over us for a moment as Areto stared out towards the moon that hovered over the bay. I waited for him to speak, crossing my arms suddenly nervous about what was to come. He probably wanted to yell at me, or accuse me of betraying my family. I had a feeling he was angry that I kept defending someone he only saw as an enemy.

After what felt like a lifetime, he finally met my gaze and spoke. "I've been trying to come up with every argument I can on why you shouldn't be engaged to this guy, but the more reasons I gathered the more I realized they were all based on my hatred towards the Fire Nation… None of my arguments had anything to do with your feelings." He stopped and took a deep breath. "I owe you an apology, Crys."

The words that came out of him stunned me, and I was speechless.

He dropped his gaze and kicked at a shell by his foot. "I'd been against the arrangement our fathers made with one another, and I'd protested numerous times in the past. However, I was too much of a coward to convince my father and the chief that our match wouldn't work. What's worse is that I went back on my own words. A while ago I told both of our fathers that you should be allowed to love who you want to love, but when I saw the way you defended that firebender the other night, my hatred towards the enemy blinded my judgement." He met my gaze once again. "I was wrong to treat you like some object that could be won by a simple duel. Now that I've calmed my anger, I see that I was foolish and immature. If my mother had seen me act in such a way she would've knocked me on my head."

His words sunk in as I listened on in disbelief.

"I just have to ask…" He looked down again in embarrassment. "Why him… Out of all the people in this world, why do you love the same guy who kidnapped you from home and imprisoned you? I just can't wrap my head around your feelings for him. He locked you in a cell and tried to capture the Avatar… I've heard so many stories about what his father has done to people. How can you love the son of the enemy the way you do?"

He finally stopped speaking, and I knew it was my turn. After a small pause to collect my thoughts, I answered him.

"I know you and the rest of the tribe think I've lost my mind... You all think I've developed some insane attachment to my previous captor." I crossed my arms again and looked at the sand below me. "But it isn't like that. At first I was a prisoner to Zuko… I hated him for what he did to me, tearing me away from my home and throwing me in a cold dark cell. But then his heart began to show." I smiled. "We've had our differences, but at the end of the day we make each other happy… My mom told me that being in love isn't perfect, but she also said that when you find that someone you're meant to be with you'll never want to let them go. When it comes to Zuko I feel that way. Leaving him in the desert all those weeks ago was the hardest thing I ever did. Even after we were seperated, I never once stopped thinking about him."

A deep sigh escaped him. "When you talk like that, there's no way I can convince you otherwise." He shook his head. "I will say one more thing though… Zuko is super lucky to have won your heart. When I knew you three years ago, you were just a child…" He looked at his feet embarrassed. "You've become so beautiful and mature now…"

I blushed at the compliment, crossing my arms self-consciously. "Thanks… You've grown a lot too. You're definitely handsome. Any girl would be lucky to have you as a husband… You'll find someone. I bet if you took a trip to the North Pole you'd find a girl in minutes."

He smiled weakly. "Yeah… You're-"

He was cut off by the sound of a crash nearby. We both jumped and glanced over at the water tribe ship that was settled on shore. A shadow moved on the deck, and I could see something wasn't right by the size of the shadow. From the light of the moon, it looked like a child was wandering back and forth on the deck of the ship.

I watched the shadow with suspicion. "What is that?"

Areto was uncertain, and quickly headed towards the ship with his hand on the hilt of his sword. I followed in his steps with caution, uncertain to who or what was on the ship above.

"Stay back," Areto ordered, holding his hand back towards me to tell me to stop. "I'll check it out."

Rolling my eyes, I shoved his hand down and walked ahead of him. He was stunned, and hissed lowly, "Crystal! Get back here."

Ignoring him, I got to the ship on shore and grabbed the rope ladder to pull myself up. Once I was over the ship railing, I was stunned to see two figures on the ship rummaging through some crates and barrels. They were turned away from me, and one of them was at least seven feet tall and very muscular. The other looked like he was no more than eight years old, and if he didn't have arms rummaging through the wooden crate I would've passed him off as an animal.

Areto suddenly stood beside me having sneaked up after me. He stared at the two shapes in astonishment as they pulled out supplies from the crates.

"Anything good, Pipsqueak," the younger one asked in a child's voice.

The larger figure shook his head, responding deeply, "Nope. You The Duke?"

"Nah. Just some rope and fabric. Nothing to eat or sell… Oh! Wait." He reached deeper into the crate. "I found a club! We can get some money off of this!"

Crossing my arms, I cleared my throat. They both froze in their actions and looked over at Areto and I. Their eyes shined in the moonlight as they realized they were caught. The larger one, Pipsqueak, stepped from the crate and stood in front of his friend. He pulled out a large wooden pole from his back holder and held it in defense. The little guy took out his own pole which had a rusted spear at the end of it.

Areto stepped forward suddenly with his sword drawn and I realized his sword was why they were so prepared to fight. Areto ordered quickly, "Drop your weapons!"

Pipsqueak scowled. "You first!"

I knew I had to intervene. "Woah! Calm down everyone!" I grabbed Areto's arm to push his sword down. "We don't want to fight you. Let's just talk. Who are you? Why are you on this ship?"

Areto jerked from me. "It's clear who they are! They're just some rotten thieves!" He stepped forward grasping his sword. The other two tightened their holds on their weapons in caution. "We should get them back to Chief Hakoda and the others. No one steals from the Southern Water Tribe without conse-"

"Areto! Enough!" I jerked his sword out of his hand suddenly, earning a shout of protest from him. Once the sword was in my hand, I looked at the kids in front of me. "No one's fighting or being punished. If you all put your weapons away, we can talk about this." I sheathed Areto's weapon on his side, while he looked at me with bewilderment. "There's too much fighting going on at the moment. We don't need more."

I stepped towards the kids then, who lowered their weapons as I spoke. "My name is Crystal. My father is Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe. You two look like you could use a nice meal and a good night's rest. I can heat up some stew for you once I go check on Aang."

"Aang?!" The Duke's eyes had widened as he shouted out in surprise. "Avatar Aang! He's here? I haven't seen him since he and his friends froze Jet to a tree."

I was surprised by his acknowledgement of Aang, and even more surprised when he mentioned Jet. "Wait…" I pointed at the both of them. "Are you two Freedom Fighters?"

The Duke beamed. "Yeah! You've heard of us!"

I smiled. "Yes. The Avatar's friends you spoke of are my brother and sister."

Pipsqueak pointed at me with a large finger. "You're Sokka's twin! I knew your name sounded familiar."

I nodded. "Yes." Then I frowned as my thoughts went back to Jet. "How did you guys end up seperated from Jet though?"

Pipsqueak frowned. "Well… After Jet tried to destroy the village we decided we didn't want to be part of such violence... Me and The Duke went our separate ways. Jet's probably doing okay without us."

Part of me knew that wasn't true, because we all suspected Jet hadn't survived the blow that Long Feng had dealt on him. However, I didn't have the heart to tell the two before me that their friend was most likely departed from this world.

"Crys!" Sokka's shout suddenly broke my next response. We all turned to see he and Zuko were rushing over to the boat we were on. They must've saw the four of us standing on the deck and were concerned. "What's going on?!"

Areto, who had been watching the whole exchange with shock and astonishment, looked down at the two figures racing across the sand towards us. "Your sister is insane, Sokka! She's offering these thieves stew!"

At the name Sokka, Pipsqueak and The Duke were excited. They raced over to the side of the ship rail and both waved down. "Hey Sokka," Pipsqueak shouted. "Long time! It's me Pipsqueak! The Duke is here too!"

The Duke jumped up and down excitedly. "Your sister is so nice Sokka!"

Sokka grabbed onto the rope ladder and hoisted himself up onto the ship. When he got on deck, he moved aside and Zuko came up as well. Zuko's presence earned a glare from Areto, but thankfully Areto didn't say anything focused more on the two kids he didn't know.

"The Duke… Pipsqueak… What are you two doing here?" Sokka was astonished to see the two familiar boys. He looked around the ship and saw pieces of fabric and tools scattered across the deck. "Oh… Stealing… Got ya."

The Duke hung his head. "Sorry Sokka… We've just been super hungry. We thought we could sell something for food."

Pipsqueak was ashamed too. "Yeah... We didn't know the ship belonged to the Southern Water Tribe until we hopped on board."

Sokka sighed. "Alright… We'll discuss this back at camp." He looked over at Areto then. "Take them to the fire and get them some food. I'll be there in a minute."

Areto was shocked. "What? They're thieves and you want to treat them like guests! Are you crazy?!"

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Areto… Two kids looking for food? I think you can forget their crate rummaging just this once."

He went to argue, but the look I gave him caused his mouth to shut. He let out a heavy sigh and dropped his shoulders. "Fine… Come on you two…" He turned and headed to the ladder of the ship. However, he stopped as he passed Zuko who was giving him his own stare down. "I had a feeling you'd be showing up, Prince boy. What's wrong? Worried I was trying to steal Crystal from you?"

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "Do you blame me? Your brother's done it before."

Areto went to snap at him, but Sokka intervened. "Knock it off you two. It's getting late and these two need some food and rest. Take them to camp Areto, and let my dad know I'll explain who these kids are when I get there."

Deciding he didn't feel like arguing with my brother, Areto rolled his eyes and looked over at the two kids. "Fine… Come on… Don't cause me trouble or I'll give you acorns instead." He clambered down the ladder and Pipsqueak and The Duke followed him. As they headed off across the sand towards camp, I sighed heavily looking back at Sokka and Zuko.

"Were you worried or something? You two came rushing over like I was facing off against the enemy."

Sokka shook his head. "Zuko was worried when you didn't come back to Aang's tent and he found Toph and I. Toph told us she could sense you and Areto were together which got me concerned were you and him doing together? Was he bugging you again?"

Shaking my head, I looked between Zuko and Sokka with a small smile. "It's okay. He promised he wouldn't bring up the arrangement anymore. He knows he can't change my mind… We were just talking. No need to freak out."

Zuko seemed a bit embarrassed by his freak out, while Sokka seemed doubtful.

"Do you blame me?" Sokka ran a hand through his hair. "I feel like every time you disappear it's because something bad is happening."

"Well… At least tonight it was just a face off with two hungry kids," I joked. "Relax you two… I can take care of-"

"If you finish that sentence I'm going to clamp your mouth shut," Sokka muttered. "Every time you say that something bad happens to you." He turned and headed over to the ladder. He stopped to meet my gaze again. "Thanks for taking care of Katara tonight, but you should sleep too. Aang will be fine on his own for a few hours. He's not going anywhere, so you can relax. That kid is a fighter. He'll wake up in no time." He looked over at Zuko then. "I'm going to make sure Pipsqueak and The Duke are getting treated well. Keep an eye on her." He jerked his thumb towards me.

"Sokka! I'm not that prone to danger! I was handling the situation just fine a few moments ago!"

He ignored me and disappeared down the ladder. Once he was gone, and just Zuko and I were left on deck of the Southern Water Tribe ship, I let out another heavy sigh and walked over to the stuff that was thrown all over the deck. Picking up the rope and fabric, I chucked it back in the crate it belonged. Zuko helped me pick up the mess, seeming to be lost in his thoughts.

After a moment of silence, I sat on the top of the crate I'd just closed. "Sorry for worrying you again… Areto intercepted my path on the way back to you. I thought if I let him talk he'd leave me alone."

Zuko sat on the other side of the crate. He shook his head. "No… I'm the one who's sorry… Ever since Azula hurt you the other day, I've been super overbearing… I guess I just don't want to see you hurt anymore. I couldn't protect you from Zhao all those weeks ago, and now I couldn't protect you from my sister. I feel like I've been failing you left and right."

Shaking my head, I turned to him and grabbed his hand. "Zuko… Nothing is your fault. Zhao was a psychotic and power hungry man. He wanted to torture me ever since the day you challenged him to an Agni Kai. And your sister just seems to have a hardened heart... Your father is the cause of that I'm sure."

He hung his head. "You wouldn't have met any of them if I had never captured you for my own selfish gain though."

I frowned at his statement. "That may be true… but it also may not be… Like I told my father, if you hadn't been the one to invade our village and capture me that day, then there was a high chance that another Fire Navy ship would've invaded and taken me prisoner. I'm glad it was you." I gave his hand a squeeze for comfort. "Stop blaming yourself for everything that happens to me. I've been prone to danger since I was born. There's nothing you can do to prevent my bad luck."

He hugged his arms around me suddenly and pulled me close. As my head rested against his chest, his chin settled on my hair. "I just don't want to lose you. The last time I cared about someone this much she disappeared in the middle of the night and I never saw her again."

From his words, I understood he was speaking about his mother. "I'm not going anywhere, Zuko… Especially not after the sacrifice you just made for me. You gave up your honor to help Aang and I. You could've taken your sister's offer and gone home, but instead you fought alongside us and helped get Aang to safety. I can't repay you for what you've done."

He suddenly pulled from me and then gently nudged my chin towards his gaze with his finger. Meeting his eyes, I saw a twinkle from the light of the moon. "You can repay me though… My proposal to you the other day was sincere, Crys. I want you as my wife some day. You're the only person in this world I want to spend the rest of my life with. You saw the good in me before I did… You remind me of the man I truly am."

I blushed, but gave him a genuine smile. "I didn't doubt your sincerity… My acceptance was sincere as well. Out of all the warriors and men I've met in the past, you were the only one to ever call me strange and accept me for it. I feel like I can actually be myself with you and not have to be seen as some poor child who watched her mother die. Plus, you're the only person in my life who knows what I'm allergic to. Any other guy would probably bring me peonies as a gift and kill me."

Zuko laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "I'll set to fire any peony that comes within your reach."

I laughed too. "Now I'm picturing Areto holding a bunch of charred flowers. I'd love to see the look on his face if that happened."

We both laughed at our nonsense under the light of the moon, and then talked through the late hours about nothing in particular. We were just happy to have a moment to ourselves.

The next morning, after Zuko and I went our separate ways to get rest, I was woken up by a foot nudging my side. I'd fallen asleep in Aang's tent as I spent the night wiping his forehead and getting him to drink soup and water in his semi-conscious state. He wasn't at all coherent, and I knew he wouldn't remember any of this when he did wake up, but keeping him hydrated and getting some liquid food down him was the only way he'd survive. After I left Zuko, I'd managed to brew some soup that had ground vegetables and herbs to get down Aang's throat. Once he ate a good majority of it, I felt much more at peace. My back was searing from the constant movement and supporting of Aang's body, and by the time I finished I was too tired to walk back to the tent Katara and I were staying in. Instead I used a rolled up sleeping bag for a pillow and laid on some fur pelts. Then I softly sang a song to Aang until I fell asleep.

"Princess… Wake up. Breakfast is ready," Toph said, nudging me with her foot again.

Opening my eyes, I found the small lantern I'd been using as my light source with Aang had gone out, and the sun seeped through the tent's fabric giving the space we were in light.

"You're lucky I'm the one who woke you. Sokka isn't too happy you ignored him last night and came to be with Aang."

Groaning, I sat up from where I'd been stretched out and brushed fingers through my knots. "Aang needed some dinner. I promised Katara I'd feed him." Getting to my feet, I winced at the sore muscles in my body. "I'm fine. I slept enough."

Toph let out a heavy sigh, shaking her head. "You're not lying, but that's because you're stubborn. Go freshen up. Your dad and Sokka had a chat last night and came up with some master plan or something. They want everyone gathered by the fire. Katara cooked some broth for everyone, so hurry up before Sokka eats it all." Once she was done ordering me around, she left me to return to the others. Deciding not to argue, I fixed the blanket draped over Aang and pet Momo who slept beside him. Momo woke and looked at me with sad beady eyes, shooting his gaze back over to Aang.

"I know boy… I miss him too…"

Momo hopped onto my shoulder then, licking my cheek as I pat him behind the ear. "Come on… Let's go get you some breakfast and let Aang rest."

After freshening up upon Toph's request, Momo and I made it to the campsite where the men, Katara, and Toph were gathered. Pipsqueak and The Duke were there also sitting beside Toph on a log, and Sokka and Katara were beside Zuko on the ground. Bato and my father stood at the center of the crowd. As I approached, Sokka got to his feet with a bowl of food and headed over to me.

"About time you showed up. I was beginning to think you got lost or something."

Momo hopped off my shoulder and raced across the sand to where Appa was eating some hay that one of our warriors retrieved for him. Where they found the hay I decided not to question. Once the little guy was off my shoulder, I took the bowl from Sokka with a thanks.

"Ah. There's the girl I wanted to see," my father spoke. "Come over here Crystal."

Sokka shook his head. "Dad. I already told you that any information about the Fire Nation can be found from Zuko. If you would just ask-"

Bato spoke up. "We cannot trust the words of his mouth. It is better we speak to someone of our own who has been among the Fire Nation for a time." He met my gaze. "Your father tells us that you have read books composed by the Fire Nation. If you have any valuable information about their weaponry or the lay out of the land you must share it."

Zuko let out a heavy sigh. "I already told you I'll give you the information you need."

My father shot his eyes over at Zuko with distrust. "I do not believe we were speaking to you, Prince Zuko. It is best to remain silent."

I scowled. "Zuko doesn't have to stay silent! He's as much part of this as we all are." I handed the bowl back to Sokka who was stunned by my action and almost dropped it. Stepping over to father and Bato, I added, "And you won't be able to get much out of me. I was a prisoner the majority of my time surrounded by the Fire Nation. No secrets were given to me. As for the lay out of the land, yes I read books about the Fire Nation. Those books only gave me minor details. If you are planning on infiltrating the Fire Nation and getting to the Fire Lord, then someone who has _actually_ lived _in_ the Fire Nation Capital and knows the territory around it should give you the answers."

My father was bewildered by my statement, and then let out a deep breath. "Fine…" He looked over at the young man he seemed to despise beyond my control. "Prince Zuko… Perhaps you would like to tell us the best way to infiltrate the Fire Nation on the Day of the Black Sun."

Zuko was surprised by the sudden attention he was getting, but he knew how to publicly speak from his years of tutors and training. Standing, Zuko remained composed as he faced my father. "The Fire Nation consists of multiple islands. The easternmost are much more impoverished than the ones closer to the capital. The further west you go, getting past blockades and security checks is much more difficult. In order to actually get to the Fire Nation Capital before the eclipse begins, we need to be sure we are at the Capital's docks well in advance."

The whole group was intrigued by Zuko's words, and I was relieved to see he had their attention. As Zuko continued on about the Fire Nation's security system and possible challenges to infiltration, I finally ate some breakfast knowing I'd successfully gotten through to some of the men.

"I'd be happy to draw up a map with Sokka. We can work out a possible route and figure out the best mode for infiltration." Zuko commented, having given as much information as he could at the moment. Sokka nodded to let him know he was onboard.

Once Zuko was done speaking, my father took the floor. "Very well, Prince Zuko. My children seem to trust you, and I will trust their judgment. I leave the planning to you for the course we should take. In the meantime, I need a small group of volunteers to locate and gather allies for the invasion. My son has a list of people he has met over his time in the Earth Kingdom that he feels would suit our effort well." My father's request gained him ten warriors of various ages as volunteers. My father divided them into two seperate groups, ordering one group to take one of the few Water Tribe vessels we had left and head to the North Pole. The other group he told to travel on land and seek out a group of waterbenders in some place called The Swamp. They left the circle to prepare, and the remaining group awaited further orders.

"Chief… I'd like to speak," Areto suddenly voiced. We were surprised by his statement, and I watched him step over to my father. "I have a request."

His father gazed at him with puzzlement, while my father was curious. Areto looked over at me, gave a small smile, and then directed his attention back to my father. "I would like your permission, Chief Hakoda, to return to the South Pole with others who are willing. If this plan fails, I fear the Fire Nation will lash out against our own. I worry about my mother and the other women, children, and elders of the tribe. Crystal was right the other day when she said that if Prince Zuko hadn't invaded our landed then another Fire Navy ship would've in his place… We left our people defenseless, and it's our duty to return to them and offer protection."

The men around us were stunned and ashamed by his words, knowing Areto was right. My father seemed uncertain. "Areto. Your heart is in the right place, but this invasion needs every able-bodied man we have."

"You have plenty of men… Not to mention the Avatar. Once he wakes up, and you also meet with the other allies, you will have enough to complete your mission. As much as I want to fight against the Fire Nation to be a hero like everyone else, I also know that the honorable thing to do would be to return and protect our people."

Kona, who had been listening from the crowd, stood and walked over to Areto nodding in agreement. "He's right… Some of us should go home and make sure the others are alright. As much as I want to fight and be part of the invasion, I know where I'm needed. I'll go with you, Areto. We've been away from our mother and sister for too long."

Areto seemed relieved that his brother had his back. Jaka, who had originally been sitting beside Kona, stood too. "I guess if they're going home so am I." He looked over at my father. "If that's okay Uncle?"

Chief Hakoda looked from the three young men before him, and then let out a heavy sigh. "Very well. Take our last Water Tribe vessel and return home." He looked around the remaining group. "Anyone who wishes to return home to your families, now is your chance."

The crowd dwindled then as five of the older warriors headed off to pack up for their trip back home. Areto, Jaka, and Kona did so as well. As they headed off, I left my spot from where I'd sat by Toph and rushed after them. Grabbing Jaka's sleeve, I forced him to a stop as the other two kept going.

My cousin was surprised. "Crys?"

"Before you depart I want to write up a letter for Gran Gran… Would you deliver it to her for me?"

He was surprised by my request, but nodded to let me know he would do so. An hour later, I had a letter written up on a parchment Sokka gave me to use. With a little help from Katara since my writing still wasn't the greatest, I managed to write out my heart.

 _Gran,_

 _I want to let you know that I am alive and well. There is too much to tell you, but know that I am with Sokka and Katara. Also, I'm engaged to Prince Zuko. We fell in love. Strange, I know. You always said fate is strange though. He wants me to add that he's sorry for grabbing you roughly the day he came to our village. I promise when I see you again I'll explain more. Until then, be safe and I will take care of my brother and sister. I love you._

 _Crystal_

Once the letter was written, I rolled it up and used wax to seal it. Then meeting Jaka by his tent, I handed it to him so he could put it in his bag. As he reached for it, he grabbed my wrist gently. "You should come back home with us. It's not safe for you to be part of this-"

"Jaka… I'm not a sad and weak little girl anymore. I've survived starvation, drowning, explosions, frostbite, and a psychotic princess. I don't need to be babied." I pulled his hand off and placed the letter in his palm. "I'll be okay. I'm not scared anymore."

He was bewildered by my statement, but nodded and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I believe you, cousin." He gave me a reassuring squeeze. "And I'm sorry for being such a jerk to you. I should've never kidnapped you in the woods that day with Kona, and I was wrong to try and keep you in the tent the other day. I can see you're a strong independent woman now. Your mom would be proud of you if she were here today."

I smiled at his reassurance and gave him a hug. "Be safe Jaka. Take care of Gran Gran until we come home."

He hugged me back. "You know I will."

 **Zuko POV**

A strong grip grabbed my arm to stop me as I went to find Crystal. I'd spent the last hour discussing geography and strategy with Chief Hakoda and Sokka. To my relief, Chief Hakoda was starting to warm up to me. Not to that point that he approved of my being with his daughter, but he didn't completely loathe me like before. Sokka had a lot to do with that though. I could tell Sokka's father placed a lot of trust in him, and I envied that father-son bond. My father and I had never been so close.

Looking up at the owner of the grip, I wasn't surprised to find Areto. I immediately ripped my arm from him and snapped, "I'm not looking for another fight."

He held his hands up in surrender. "I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to have a civil talk."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, but crossed my arms to let him know I was listening.

He crossed his arms as well to try and show his tough side. "Look… I've known Crystal since she was a baby. She's always been like a little sister to me. The very fact that she fell in love with you so easily is beyond my understanding…"

My jealousy rose slightly from the way he spoke about Crystal as if he knew her more than I.

He continued with frustration. "I don't understand any of it. Out of all the time I've known her, especially after her mom died, I've never seen such life in her like I do now." He looked down. "There's always going to be a small part of me that wishes it had been me, but I can see I'll never win her from you no matter how many times we duel in the future." Meeting my gaze again, his eyes narrowed. "You better take care of her. If anything happens to her under your watch I'll make sure you get what you deserve Prince Zuko. "

I spoke up finally. "I've been protecting her for the last six months. She's a grown woman though. She doesn't want my protection in most situations. She's survived more than you can imagine."

He glared. "Of course, each of those circumstances were ones you put her in."

My fist tightened as I turned defensive. "I didn't send a swarm of angry wasps on her in the desert, or kidnap the Avatar's bison to send her on a wild search through Ba Sing Se. Not everything bad in life is my fault."

A snort came out of him. "Everything is your fault though. Look who your father is!"

I grit my teeth. "I am not my father! If I were, I'd have burned you on the spot for your insults the other night!"

He smirked. "If you're not your father then you wouldn't be so eager to win back the throne from him." His words stunned me. "I know exactly why you've changed sides, _Prince_ Zuko. They may not see it, but the Avatar and his friends are naive children. Clearly this is all a method for you to overthrow your father and be the next Fire Lord. You were banished by him, and this is your way of seeking revenge."

I grabbed his shirt collar feeling my blood boil from his accusation. "This choice has nothing to do with my father! Don't act like you know anything about me!"

Areto shoved me back and pointed at my chest. "What's not to know?! You're just a spoiled prince who misses the life of royalty! You may like Crystal, but once you claim that throne you'll only care about being a ruler! Crystal is too good for someone like you!"

"You're wrong!"

A stream of water suddenly shot between us, and the element wrapped around Areto's wrist tightening to restrain him. With a jerk, Areto was pulled from me and forced to stumble back. Once he was a safe distance from physically hurting me, the water dropped and a voice snapped, "Stop it you two!"

\

We both looked over at the sound of Katara's call, and weren't surprised to see Toph with her. The two looked perturbed by our heated argument.

"What do you think Crystal would say if she were here right now? You both are acting like children!"

Areto growled. "Stay out of this Katara! I'm only looking out for my people! He's lying about what he really wants."

Toph frowned. "No. Sparky knows what he wants. If he were lying I'd have detected it a long time ago. Go run along to the South Pole and let us handle it macho man."

Areto went to argue once more, but another voice spoke up. "Areto... We need to move out before it gets too late." Jaka walked over with Crystal following in his step. "Leave him be." At Jaka's words, Areto huffed and left us to return to camp. Jaka squeezed Crystal's shoulder reassuringly, waved to Katara, and followed after him. Once Areto was gone, the tension seemed to fade. Once the tension left, I felt the fire inside me simmer.

"Zuko… Are you okay?"

Crystal's fingers brushed against my cheek where my skin was hot from frustration. Her touch calmed me, and I met her gaze relieved to see her beautiful sky blue orbs. I grimaced disappointed in myself for losing my temper. "Yeah… I'm fine."

She looked saddened and let out a heavy sigh dropping her hand. "I wish I could say he's the only one we need to worry about, but unfortunately your on the radar of every man in this camp."

I smiled weakly taking her hand in my own. "I can handle their insults. It can't be any worse than Zhao or my sister."

A sad smile came on her lips. "Yeah… But you also shouldn't have to."

"Crys… I knew when I followed you and the others here I'd be the outsider," I promised. "As long as no one tries to poison or drown me I'll be fine." I brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear to calm her worry.

"Ugh! This lovey-dovey chat is making me sick. I'm going back to my cave to pack ," Toph muttered.

Katara rolled her eyes at Toph, and then looked back over at us. "You both should get ready and pack too. I hear we're moving out right after the other warriors do. Dad wants us to start at dusk so we have night cover in case the Fire Nation are searching the coast for us."

Crystal pulled from me to ask her, "What about Aang?"

Katara grimaced at the subject, but answered, "We're moving him into one of the cabins below deck on the Fire Nation ship. There's one with a large bed that we assume belonged to the previous captain of the ship. They're getting a pallet ready to carry him."

Crystal nodded, and then turned kissing me on the cheek. "I'm going to check on Appa and get ready to go. Find me if you need me."

I nodded to let her know I would, saying, "I'll go help move Aang."

Once we went our separate ways, I arrived at the tent Aang was in and headed inside. The sun seeped in through the thin fabric, and I saw the Avatar's unconscious body before me. His defenseless state sent a pang through my heart. Walking over to him, I knelt before the kid and picked up his staff which hadn't left his side. Resting the staff on my lap, I ran my hand over the wood with a weak smile. "This little toothpick is what made it so difficult to capture you all those times, huh? Out of all the weapons and men I had, you outsmarted us each and every time. You're one special kid Aang..."

I placed the staff back down beside him. "You know… I do believe you were wrong that day I helped you get out of Zhao's fortress… I think if we had known each other before the war began, we'd never have met and been friends. Our nations were already divided." I gripped my knee caps. "So in a way, I'm glad things turned out the way they did. My quest to capture you was just what I needed to find my true purpose. I owe you for everything that's happened to me these last few months. You're the reason I met Crystal, and you gave me a second chance. "

My eyes burned as my emotions started to get to me. I shut my eyes to keep composed. "That's why you need to wake up kid… I have to pay you back for everything you've given me. I promised to teach you firebending, and I plan to do just that." Opening my eyes again, I blinked a tear as I took in his fragile state. "If you stay asleep any longer your going to miss the fight, and I know you'll never let yourself live it down." I rested a hand on his shoulder giving it a small squeeze. "You're one of the toughest kids I know. You'll get through this… You always do… You have to..."

Wiping away any trace of tears, I stood and headed to the tent entrance. As I stepped to the flaps, I shut my eyes again, thinking to myself, _I'll make you proud, Avatar Roku… I'll help Aang like I should've done in the beginning… I'll prove to everyone that I'm not my father. And then once I help end this war, I'll restore the Fire Nation to its rightful glory with Crystal by my side... Just wait and see..._

* * *

 **That's all I have for you right now. The next chapter will follow the beginning of Avatar the Last Airbender Season 3. Not word for word, but in a similar plot. Also, I know many of you wanted me to kill of Areto, but I didn't have the heart to do that. I'm not huge on killing off characters. So I'm just sending him, his brother, and Jaka back south to get them out of everyone's hair. They may reappear at the end of the tale, but you won't see them again for a while.**

 **Anyways. Thanks for everyone's support and comments. I'll get the next one up as soon as I can.**

 **BEST! ~Faithy Waithy**


	47. Team Avatar

**Next Chapter Finally! Hope you enjoy. It's a long one! Thanks for the reviews and support. You readers keep encouraging me to write. Also, I'm not sure about continuing into the comics yet. I'll definitely consider it though and let you know when I reach a decision.**

 **Best!**

 **Faithy waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 47: Team Avatar**

 **Crystal POV**

The ship creaked and swayed as I stepped down the long dim hallway. The sound of my boots hitting the steel floor echoed around me. Others slept in the cabins surrounding me, while a few warriors stood on deck for night watch above. I'd been asleep in the cabin I was sharing with Katara, but waking from a nightmare had me restless and unable to return to my dream world.

The nightmare had been one of those that started as just a bunch of silly images and events, but then turned into something horrible. At some point in my dream, I was back on the ship that Zhao had held me prisoner on. Zhao was there, alive and as sadistic as ever. He dragged me down a dark hallway that seemed endless, and then jerked open a door that led to a large cell room. Inside the cell, the sight before me was horrifying as I saw Iroh's limp body chained to a chair bolted in the floor.

 _"_ _Iroh!" I cried out, but it seemed he didn't hear me. Blood caked his face from scratches on his lips and a broken nose. His gray hair was messy and covered parts of his face._

 _"_ _The great Dragon of the West… Now he's no more than a bloody worm," Zhao hissed, shoving me in the room._

 _Falling on the floor, I'd quickly scrambled to my feet and raced over to him. "Iroh!"_

 _He looked up at me with hazy gold eyes, but then dropped his head again. "Leave…" He ordered with a broken voice. "Get out of here, Crystal."_

 _"_ _No… I won't leave you," I cried, trying to pull at the chains around his wrists._

 _"_ _Pity," Azula suddenly chimed from behind. Shivers raced through my spine, and I turned my gaze to see her standing in the spot Zhao had been. "You can die with him then." She grinned and grabbed the steel door. Then she shut it and darkness fell over us._

 _"_ _NO!" I raced forward, but fire suddenly shot up in my path and I was forced back. Iroh's scream from behind caused me to turn back towards him only to see his whole body was surrounded by fire. "IROH!"_

The agonizing scream of Iroh was what woke me from my horrible dream. After lying on my cot for a while to catch my breath, I finally decided the room I was in was too claustrophobic and I made my escape without waking Katara.

As I reached the stairwell that led up on deck, I clutched the metal rail in confliction. We'd been aboard the Fire Nation vessel my father and his men had apprehended for a week now. Being on the ship brought back memories about my time with Iroh and Zuko back on their own vessel. As I moved along the similarly structured hallways, and felt a sense of Deja vu, the memories turned into nightmares the closer we got to the Fire Nation.

Heading up the stairs, I pushed open the steel door and felt a blast of cool air hit my face. Stepping onto the deck of the ship, I saw stars surround us as we pushed through the ocean's waters. Walking over to the ship's rail, I clutched the steel frame and shut my eyes as sea mist brushed against my face. My heart ached though as images from my dream replayed in my head.

Everything had happened so fast after Ba Sing Se, but there was always a part of my mind that kept aware of Iroh's situation. Iroh had sacrificed himself to help us escape that night, and I knew there was no way he'd defeated all of Azula's followers on his own. He was most definitely apprehended and being carted back to the Fire Nation. I feared what the Fire Lord would do to him once he was brought within the walls of the palace. Iroh had always been so kind and caring towards me, and the moment he needed me most I could do nothing to help him.

Grabbing my hair, I felt tears escape my eyes as my heart was heavy with concern. "Iroh… I'm sorry…"

A memory fell over me of our time together long ago, just a few weeks after Zuko had captured me from my home. I remember sitting with Iroh up on deck as we watched Zuko practice his firebending with another member of the crew. We were sipping on some tea, courtesy of Jiho the ship cook, and Iroh seemed at peace as his nephew grunted and yelled from the attacks he sent towards his opponent.

 _"_ _Does he ever stop training?"_

 _Iroh pulled his cup from his lips and smiled. "Being on this ship can be rather boring for our young prince. He finds he can pass time by throwing around his arms and legs."_

 _I shook my head. "He needs a better hobby in my opinion."_

 _"_ _To be honest, Crystal," Iroh suddenly stated. "He has found another hobby. He enjoys hanging out with you during the day."_

 _I scoffed. "Doubtful. He told me this morning that I was frustrating when I begged him to let me come watch him train."_

 _Iroh shook his head. "He says things, but they're meaningless." He placed his cup on the tray in front of us and then met my gaze. "Honestly… I've never seen such life on this ship in all the time we've been journeying to find the Avatar. The crew and I like the spirit you've brought on board. I feel as though my nephew does as well. He talks about you often. Surprisingly more so than he does the Avatar."_

 _I blushed a bit at Iroh's reveal. "I'm sure he just talks about how thrilled he is to have a waterbender as his prisoner."_

 _Iroh smiled. "You'd be surprised how intrigued he is by you." Iroh picked up his cup again. "I sense something is brewing in my nephew that he will not understand for a while."_

 _My gaze became perplexed. "What are you talking about?"_

 _"_ _You'll understand soon too." He sipped his tea, but a mischievous twinkle shined in his eye. When he pulled away again, he placed his cup down once more. He then took my hand comfortingly and calmly said, "You've become like a daughter to me over the time you've been with us. If you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask."_

My strength gave out and I fell on my knees. Tears slid down my cheeks as I hugged myself for comfort. My heart hurt, and I knew it was because I feared my dream would come true, or that it had already happened. I had no way of knowing the fate of Iroh. For all I knew, he was killed or being tortured mercilessly as I helplessly cried for him.

"Crystal?"

My father's questioning voice came from somewhere nearby, but I turned my head to hide the pain I was certain he'd already seen.

"What on earth happened?"

He stepped over to me and knelt beside me. His hand pressed to my shoulder and I shook my head to refuse his comfort.

"Talk to me," he begged. Then he jumped to the conclusion I knew he would. "Was it Zuko? Did he hurt you?!"

"I'm fine," I mumbled. "Stop blaming Zuko... " I jerked from his hand and stood. My hands found the rail to grip onto for support, and I hung my head to let my hair hide my face. "I just had a bad dream."

He sighed heavily, sounding relieved. "That must've been some dream. I haven't seen you this shaken up before."

Frowning, I muttered, "That's because you were never around to see it." I pulled from the rail and went to step away from him. He grabbed my arm to stop me though. Tears continued to fall as I spoke softly, "Let me go... I want to to be alone..."

"Crystal..." My father got a grip on my other arm and forced me to face him. "Stop… Talk to me..."

Shaking my head, I tried to pull from him. "You wouldn't understand... You'd have no empathy towards him..."

"What on earth are you talking about? Who?"

I shot my gaze up at my father's bewildered expression which was vaguely lit by the moonlight. "Azula has Iroh... He's probably being tortured or killed…" I shut my eyes and grabbed my hair feeling my heart sting. "He shouldn't have been captured like that. We should've gone back to save him." As my emotions escaped me, I moved against my father's body grabbing on to his shirt as I hid my face in the fabric. "Why is it that the moment the people I love need me the most, I'm too weak to save them? I hate feeling so weak... I hate losing people..."

I cried into the fabric of his shirt letting my tears soak away. My father let out a deep breath and placed a hand behind my head to stroke my hair comfortingly.

"Your brother told me about Iroh… What happens to the Fire Lord's brother is not your concern. All that matters is you made it ou-"

I shook my head against him. "I knew you wouldn't understand. All you see Iroh as is the enemy… But he was a father to me these last few months... He cared about me like I was his own..." I pressed my face harder to his shirt. "There's no telling what Azula is doing to him… He's such a kind man…" My voice broke off. "He doesn't deserve to be a prisoner."

Father let out a deep breath. "Crystal… There's nothing we can do for him now. There's no need to be this upset over your prior captor."

I calmed my tears enough to be coherent again. "Iroh was never my captor dad… He was the first man to show me kindness on that ship." I pushed from my father's hold and turned back towards the ocean wiping my eyes with my shirt sleeve. "I owe him for the kindness he showed me… The moments I felt alone and scared he'd find a way to bring a smile to my face…" Hanging my head again, I gripped the rail tight for support. "I should've stayed behind to help him."

A silence fell between us and part of me wanted my father to walk away. He hadn't been there to comfort me since mom died, so the last thing I wanted was him to try and comfort me now.

"You and the Avatar were both injured and completely surrounded… The man knew what he was doing when he told you all to go." My father rested his hand on my shoulder. "I know you daughter, even if you don't believe me. You always place blame on your shoulders for the situation of others. You have nothing to feel guilt over though. From the stories I've heard of General Iroh, that man is more than capable of surviving imprisonment."

Surprisingly, my father's words did comfort me. Looking up at the stars, I was relieved the tears had stopped but my heart was still heavy with worry.

"I guess you're right…" I followed the constellations just as Hul had showed me to do so long ago. "He wouldn't be happy with me if he saw me so upset over his capture…"

My father stepped up beside me then and leaned forward against the rail. As his arms rested on the metal, his eyes looked out towards the horizon. The moon hovered over the water sending shimmering light around us. We both stood beside each other, lost to our thoughts for a moment. After a brief pause, my father let out a deep breath.

"You must've gone through so much these last few months… Your brother and sister only gave me the details they knew, but I'm certain you suffered more than you let out. I see the scars that decorate your skin, and I know that look in your eye. You've seen things that none of us could fathom."

My thoughts went back to everything I'd been through. The images raced through my mind as good and bad experiences resurfaced.

"One thing I need to understand through all of this though, is why you never told any of us you were a waterbender… What were you so afraid of? You saw the way the tribe treated Katara. We encouraged her skills and training. You would've been supported as well."

Shutting my eyes, I let the cool sea air hit my face as I felt the water move around us. "I didn't find out I was a waterbender until after mom died… As much as waterbending distracted me from the memories and made me grow stronger, part of me was ashamed that I could waterbend. It made me hate myself for not being able to save mom… If I had known I could bend all along, I would've been able to fight against the monsters that came that day." Opening my eyes, I stared down at the dark waters with pain. "But I couldn't protect her."

"Crystal… You were nine… Even if you could waterbend, you wouldn't have been able to save her. Those men who came that day came with the intent to kill." My father's finger suddenly brushed against the line of my scar on my cheekbone. "You were an innocent child, and they left you to rot over your mother's body… If anyone should've been there that day to fight off those monsters it should've been me. I was too busy playing chief when I should've been by you and your mother's side."

Grabbing his hand, I didn't push it away but held it for comfort. "I don't think you could've done anything… That man… He…" I tightened my grip and shut my eyes harder as the memories tried to come back. My voice cut off as I was still unable to tell my father about that horrible night. The story had come easily to me when it came to Zuko and Iroh, but perhaps that was because I knew the story wouldn't burden them as much as it would my father and family.

My father suddenly pulled me into a hug again. "It's okay… You don't have to say anything else."

I nodded, glad he understood.

"I'm so proud of you, Crystal…" I was surprised by the words he'd just spoken. He continued. "After everything you've been through and survived, you are definitely one of the strongest people I know."

I smiled weakly, looking up at my dad. "I didn't survive alone… I had a lot of help along the way. Being among Zuko's crew, I met so many kind men on board that ship. I made some friendships I'll never forget. Even though there are evil men and women in the Fire Nation, there are also kind and compassionate people who just want to take care of those they love… Over the months I've journeyed across the world, I've learned not to judge someone for the place they come from."

My words sunk into my father slowly. He then placed his hands on my shoulders and looked down at me. "You sound so much like your mother when you speak like that." He kissed me on the forehead and brushed his thumb against my scar. "I'm so lucky to have a daughter like you."

He stepped back again, and then looked at the moon lowering in the sky.

"Try to get some more rest," he spoke finally. "We'll be entering Fire Nation waters soon, and I need you ready for anything."

I nodded, saying softly, "Okay… I'll try." As I turned to head back to the room I was sharing with Katara, I only made it a few steps before I stopped. Turning, I rushed back over to my dad and hugged him again. He was surprised by my action, but hugged me back. "Thanks dad… I've missed you."

He sighed. "I've missed you too."

 **Third Person POV**

The sun rose on the horizon as Zuko stepped out on deck. He ran a hand through his hair to get the knots out. His hair had gotten longer over his time in the Earth Kingdom. While he liked the feeling of it no longer being constricted by that damn ponytail, he was constantly having to fight the strands apart.

"Prince Zuko," a voice spoke from behind him suddenly, and he turned with a start. He was immediately nerve wracked as Chief Hakoda came towards him dressed in the Fire Nation armor that he'd borrowed from below. He was only wearing the upper armor pieces, just in case a Fire Nation ship came by and saw them. "May I have a word with you?"

The very fact that Hakoda asked Zuko instead of ordered him threw him off guard. Zuko nodded however and turned his attention to the man. Hakoda stepped past him and up to the rail of the ship. He held his hands behind his back as he looked out towards the sunrise. Zuko hesitantly stepped up beside him keeping a little distance in case the man decided to throw him overboard.

"I've been thinking long and hard about what I want to say to you these last few days." He kept his eyes on the space ahead while Zuko watched him with uncertainty. "As much as I keep hoping this whole thing is a joke, I can see my daughter is sincere when she tells me that her heart is yours." He looked over at him by the corner of his eyes. "So now I want to see your sincerity. What are your intentions with my daughter, Prince Zuko? You could have any other girl if you were back at the Fire Nation, so why her?"

As much as Zuko hated being put on the spot so early in the morning, he was ready to defend his honor. "Your right, Chief Hakoda," he began, standing tall and hiding the angst he felt because of the man before him. "As a prince, I could have any girl in the Fire Nation. I could've chosen to return home back in Ba Sing Se and marry some General's daughter to please my father." Zuko kept composed and sincere. "But that isn't what I want. I admit to you that there are many things I put your daughter through I wish I could take back every day. There was once a time where my heart was hardened and I would lose my temper against anything that stood in my way. It tears me up inside for each tear I caused her to shed back on my ship." I frowned. "The fact that she forgave me for everything I put her through… I'll never understand it…"

Zuko fell silent for a moment, recalling the fights they'd had. He recalled the times he'd thrown her in a cell, shot fire at her, grabbed and restrained her, and yelled at her for trying to protect her family and the Avatar.

"Over the time I was with her though, she found ways to break down my walls and get into my heart. She wanted to learn about me… not the prince me, but the young man I was… She found the good in me and helped me find it as well. She taught me about friendship, laughter, and love. Things I'd become hardened to and forgotten about since my father banished me from my home. Even though I fought her and hurt her so much in the past, she always hoped I'd choose the right path in the end." He looked at Chief Hakoda with intensity and honesty. "I love your daughter, Chief Hakoda. I would do anything for her. If that means turning against my father, my nation, and my birthright to stay by her side then I gladly accept the path I've chosen."

Hakoda was astounded by the young man's words, and the truth he found with them. He stared at the prince in bewilderment, and tried to wrack his brain around a response. Zuko spoke again seeing the chief was tongue-tied.

"I don't expect to earn your trust or your approval, Chief Hakoda. I've struggled for too long to earn my own father's acceptance and have finally found that I don't need it to be happy. All I ask is that, when the time comes, don't let your hate towards me hurt her. She deserves to choose for herself."

Hakoda stared at Zuko for a long time, letting everything he'd spoken sink into his mind for an understanding. He then took in a deep breath, and finally spoke. "Never in my life would I have imagined one of my children would fall in love with someone outside of our own... But from what I understand, my son is in love with a Kyoshi warrior and my youngest daughter has taken a liking to the Avatar. So the fact that Crystal is head over heels for you shouldn't surprise me with this turn of events." He shook his head. "I will probably never be able to understand the bond between you both, but these last few days of watching you interact with my children has shown me you do have good in you. As much as I wish things were different, if you make my little girl happy then I know I need to step back." He stepped forward then, pointing at Zuko's chest to intimidate him. "If I find out you hurt Crystal again though, I'll make sure your pain is twice as much. Got it, boy?"

Zuko flinched from Hakoda's threat, and nodded to let him know he understood. Hakoda smiled with satisfaction, seeing he had intimidated the young man before him. Hakoda turned once he was done with his fatherly spill and headed back across the deck towards the ship's helm, saying as he went, "I'll be keeping an eye on you, Prince Zuko." Once Hakoda was a distance, Zuko let out a deep breath of relief and dropped his hands to the rail for support.

Only a brief minute passed, and he heard behind him, "Well… He didn't throw you overboard, so that's progress."

Zuko turned his gaze over to Crystal who was smiling weakly from where she'd been standing in the shadow of the ship. She'd come up on deck and stopped when she saw her father and Zuko standing at the rail together. She quickly hid behind a crate to observe and be ready if she needed to intervene. When she saw her father walk away, she let out a sigh of relief and showed herself.

"Yeah," Zuko said with a grimace. "I was a little worried."

She headed over while saying, "Anything in particular he needed to discuss with you?"

Zuko smiled weakly. "Nah… It was pretty general. No need to worry."

"If you say so…" Stepping up to Zuko, she placed her arms on the rail and stared off into the distance. "You know… I've kind of missed this… Being on a ship with you…" She frowned. "I wish Iroh were here too."

Zuko rested his elbows against the rail and cupped his hands together as he leaned forward. The thought of his Uncle had been consistent since he'd left Ba Sing Se with the others. He knew his Uncle would be okay though. He had to believe Azula and his father wouldn't have him killed.

"Yeah… But Uncle will be alright. He knows how to handle himself."

She nodded, but Zuko could see she was disturbed. He took her hand reassuringly. "Hey… he'll be fine. I'm worried too, but that man has connections. I'm certain he'll be out of whatever prison he's been taken to in no time."

She smiled weakly. "Yeah… I guess you're right."

He squeezed her hand. "You're dad's a good man, by the way." He wanted to change the subject to get her mind off of his Uncle. He was worried as well, but he hated seeing Crystal tear herself up over it. "I can see where Sokka gets his overprotectiveness from."

She blushed in disbelief. "I can't believe he had a civil talk with you."

"He cares about you," Zuko reassured. "As long as I behave and keep in line, he'll leave me alone."

She shook her head. "So he threatened you."

He smirked. "Nah… It was more so a firm talking to. He's a wise leader." He looked down at the water. "And a good father." His voice trailed at the end of his statement, and Crystal knew why. Zuko had started to think about his own father.

She squeezed his hand this time to comfort him. "I think him and Iroh would get along."

Zuko was comforted by the meaning behind her words. He knew what she was saying, and he nodded to let her know he agreed. His father for the last three years had been his Uncle, no matter how blind he'd been to that truth. Iroh had taken him in as a son when the Fire Lord had shoved him out of the door in disgust.

He recalled what Iroh had told him once, long ago. He'd been about to sneak into the Northern Water Tribe and get to the Avatar when his Uncle found him preparing to leave Zhao's ship. Iroh had shown worry for him, and had said, _"I'm sorry, I just nag you because, well, ever since I lost my son… I think of you as my own."_ Zuko knew his Uncle meant every word, and he wished more than anything he could tell Iroh that he saw him as a father.

"There you two are!" Toph stepped over from where she'd emerged from down below. "It's your kitchen duty today, Princess! Your slacking with breakfast."

Crystal rolled her eyes. "You're just saying that because you like my cooking more than Sokka's."

She crossed her arms. "Well do you blame me. The dude served us nuts one morning!"

Zuko smiled. "For some reason that doesn't surprise me."

Crystal sighed. "Alright Toph… I'm coming." The three of them made their way back to the door that led below. As they went, Crystal took Zuko's hand for the familiar touch she loved.

From the stairwell that led up to the helm, Hakoda looked down at the three figures heading below. His comrade, Bato, stood at the top of the stairs in disbelief. "I don't get what she sees in that firebender," Bato muttered.

Hakoda smiled weakly. "There's some things I'll never understand about my daughter… But if Prince Zuko makes her happy, then I'm willing to let this take its own course."

Bato shook his head and said as he walked off towards the control room of the ship, "Everyone in this world is going insane."

The Chief watched as the door closed behind the three young fighters, and then he looked out towards the sea. "Our kids are all grown up, Kya… I know you're just as proud as I am..."

 **Crystal POV**

Walking along the dark hallway of the ship, I balanced the tray of soup in my hands as I headed to Aang's room. It had been a little under three weeks already since Ba Sing Se, and although I was glad we were able to keep Aang alive, I feared he'd never wake up by the time we reached the meeting place where the other warriors would be. We'd stopped a few days ago at a trading port to resupply and gather news about the war. The port was a Fire Nation colony, and to our relief they didn't suspect us or our stolen ship.

From the port, we learned that news had gotten out about Ba Sing Se being taken by the Fire Nation. The Avatar was believed to be dead. The Fire Lord's brother was being held at the Fire Nation Capital Prison to stand trial for crimes against the Fire Lord. And Zuko… Zuko was a traitor who was wanted for crimes against the Fire Nation. Thankfully, there were no posters of what Zuko looked like so people in the port didn't recognize him under the Fire Nation armor he'd worn.

Stopping in the hallway, I looked down at the food in front of me with dismay. Aang had yet to regain full consciousness, and although he was able to keep food down he was still far from us. Katara was super depressed from his state, and it took all I could to get her to eat and sleep. Momo and Appa, who spent most of their time chilling out on deck, were also down due to their friend's absence. Sokka and Toph tried to keep everyone's spirits up with their nonsense, but in truth we were all worried.

Sighing heavily, I headed forward again and turned on the hall where Aang's room was. When I got to the room though, I was surprised to find the door was already open. Deciding maybe someone had just come to visit him and forgot to shut it, I made my way over and to the entrance not thinking much of it. However, when I got to the doorway and looked inside I was shocked. The blanket was thrown off the bed, and both Aang and his staff were gone.

"He's awake!"

Pipsqueak's call echoed from another hall. In shock and worry, I put the tray down spilling soup contents in the process. Then I took off down the hall in the direction the noise came from. Aang was awake! He had woken up! That, or he was captured by someone who swam to the boat. I highly doubted my second thought. As I ran around a corner, I saw Aang staggering up the stairs to the door that led up on deck. He wore his pants and the bandages around his chest. His dark hair that had grown over the weeks looked so strange on his conscious self. Pipsqueak and The Duke were on the floor in a daze wearing full blown body armor that weighed them down as I approached.

Racing around the two kids in my path, I shouted up the stairs, "Aang!"

He didn't hear me as he shoved through the door and stumbled outside. Racing up the stairs, I arrived to find he had fallen on his way out and landed on his stomach. His staff traveled a few yards away. Rushing beside him, I got to my knees and placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Aang… It's okay," I promised. "You're safe… I'm here."

My voice must've been what he needed to come out of his panic. With my help, he managed to move from his stomach onto his knees. When he was up, he looked over at me with a dazed expression. "Crys… Wha-"

A chirp from Momo sounded, and Aang looked over at the little guy who was perched on my father's shoulder. My dad was wearing Fire Nation armor from head to toe, along with Bato, Zuko, and Sokka. Zuko and Sokka had started to talk often with one another, and I was relieved to see they were getting along so well as the days passed. They'd even started having daily training sessions with swords together.

"Momo?" Aang was bewildered to see Momo perched on the armor my father wore. His tired voice was music to my ears. He moved to stand, and I helped him to his feet. Momo flew over and landed on Aang's shoulder with cheer, licking his cheek to welcome him back.

"Twinkletoes! That's got to be you!"

Toph and Katara rushed over from where they'd been lingering, while Pipsqueak and The Duke came up the stairs and inched their way around Aang. As everyone inched towards Aang, he looked around the group in great confusion.

Katara beamed with delight. "Aang, you're awake!"

Aang rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "Are you sure? I feel like I'm dreaming."

Katara cut him off rushing forward and throwing her arms around him. I stepped back to give her some space, glad to see her so elated. Tears of joy slid from her eyes. "You're not dreaming. You're finally awake..."

Sokka stepped forward grabbing him into a hug also. He backed up then saying through his Fire Nation helmet, "Aang, good to see you back with the living, buddy."

Aang looked at him in confusion. "Sokka?"

Zuko took off his helmet and smiled. "Welcome back, Aang."

Looking between Zuko and Sokka, then over at Katara and Toph, he finally glanced back at me. His eyes rolled back then.

"Uh-oh! Somebody catch him, he's gonna…" Toph didn't have to say anything, because I knew exactly what was about to happen. Right before he collapsed, I rushed in front of him. His body fell into me and we both collapsed onto the deck. As much as the impact caused my muscles to protest, I was relieved to have cushioned his fall. Zuko and Katara were on both sides of him then, and they helped to pull him off.

"Let's get him out of the sun," Katara suggested.

Her and Zuko managed to get him over to where some crates were, while Toph walked over to grab his staff and Sokka helped me up. Once I was back to my feet, I left the group to go find some water from below for Aang. I knew he would be thirsty. As I headed down below, I felt relief knowing he'd woken up. Although he was unconscious again, I wasn't worried about him going into another coma. He was finally back to the living.

By the time I got back up, someone had placed a robe on Aang and they were crowded around him. He was awake again, although he still looked pale from passing out. Walking over, I caught their conversation as my dad introduced himself to Aang, saying, "We didn't get to properly meet a few weeks ago. I'm Chief Hakoda."

Aang nodded to acknowledge my father, while he took the canteen of water from me with gratitude. Once he had a good amount, he handed it back to me and then held his hand out towards my dad from where he sat on the floor. "Nice to officially meet you, Chief Hakoda."

My father returned his gesture by grabbing his arm with respect. "It's an honor to meet you, Avatar Aang."

"Great, great. Now you guys have finally met, so would you mind giving us a little privacy?"

Both father and I were surprised by her attitude, seeing as she'd been fine with him the last two weeks. Sokka was even startled as well, and shot me a puzzled look. I shrugged, not sure what was going on.

My father looked at her for a moment in disbelief, but stated softly, "Of course." He turned and headed back over to where Bato and a few other warriors stood. Zuko and Toph observed from where they leaned against a crate, taken a bit off guard by Katara's coldness to dad also.

"Are you mad at your dad or something?"

Katara looked at Aang in confusion, as if she didn't realize her mood. "What? Not at all, why would you say that?"

Aang shrugged in response, but immediately regretted it when the movement aggravated his wound. Katara noted his discomfort and immediately wanted to give him a healing session. As he was helped back down the ship stairs to his room, I had to ask once she was out of hearing distance.

"What's up with her and dad?"

Sokka rubbed his neck with a shrug. "I don't know. She was fine with him yesterday. She's been sour with him since this morning though."

Zuko nodded. "I noticed that at breakfast. She's been snapping at him."

Toph added, "Maybe she was upset with him before, and now it's just finally surfaced. She could've been distracted by Twinkletoes."

I sighed. "Well… I can't say I blame her. He left us to take care of the village on our own. I'm sure you have a little bit of anger from that too, Sokka."

Sokka frowned. "I was mad at him for leaving us, but I know why he did. I guess I'm better at letting it go and moving on than she is… She'll get over it eventually." He shut his eyes. "Besides… I've lost too much these last few months to be mad at dad."

I frowned knowing the meaning behind his words. Hugging him, I said, "Suki is going to be okay… We're going to defeat the Fire Lord and get her back. Azula told Katara that she carted the Kyoshi warriors off to a prison. She's alive… We'll save her."

Sokka hugged me back glad to hear my words. "I know… I just can't lose her…"

Pulling away slightly, I smiled reassuringly. "She's one of the strongest fighters I've met. She can and will survive."

Zuko spoke up to offer his own words of comfort. "My sister is psychotic and deceitful, Sokka, but she was truthful about your warrior friends. They have most likely been taken to an Earth Kingdom prison near the colonies. They should be okay."

Sokka nodded. "Yeah… I know."

Toph smirked. "Besides… Any girl who likes you isn't normal anyway. So I'm sure any Fire Nation soldier will steer clear of her."

I rolled my eyes. "Interesting words of comfort Toph."

She shrugged. "I try."

A few hours later we were all gathered on deck again for some dinner. Aang had gotten some rest and decided to rejoin the land of the living after his energy was restored. Appa and Momo were thrilled their buddy was back, while Aang was still very confused to why he was on a Fire Nation ship in the middle of nowhere. Sokka enthusiastically retold the last few weeks in great detail, adding in the duel that Zuko got himself in with Areto. Aang was relieved to find out that the engagement between Areto and I had been abandoned.

"Since then, we've been traveling west," Sokka continued, pulling a map out from his armor and pointing down at it. "We crossed through The Serpent's Pass a few days ago. We've seen a few Fire Nation ships, but none have bothered us."

Aang nodded, following his finger. "So, what now?"

My dad had been standing aside with Bato, Pipsqueak, and The Duke, listening to our conversation. He spoke up to answer Aang's question. "We've been working on a modified version of the invasion plan."

Katara muttered, " It's Sokka's invasion plan."

Her irritation was noted again by each of us, and my father grimaced. "Yes, Sokka's plan... We won't be able to mount a massive invasion without the Earth King's armies, but the solar eclipse will still leave the Fire Nation vulnerable."

Sokka beamed. "So we're planning a smaller invasion. Just a ragtag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into Pipsqueak and The Duke!"

Pipsqueak nodded in acknowledgment as he chowed down on some stew the rest of us were eating. "Good to see you again, Aang."

Sokka leaned forward. "And the best part is, the eclipse isn't even our biggest advantage. We have a secret." He looked around dramatically, and I rolled my eyes. Zuko shook his head in disbelief at my brother's frivolous act. "You!"

Aang looked at the finger that was pointing towards his face in shock. "Me?"

Sokka nodded. "Yep, the whole world thinks you're dead!" He jumped up with triumph. "Isn't that great?!"

Aang's eyes widened in horror, and he grabbed his hair in a panic. " The world thinks I'm dead? How is that good news? That's terrible!"

Sokka shook his head. "No, it's great. It means the Fire Nation won't be hunting us anymore. And even better, they won't expect you on The Day of Black Sun."

Aang shook his head. "No, no, no, no, no. You have no idea. This is so messed up!"

I knew why he was so upset, and knelt beside him putting my hand on his shoulder. "Aang… It's only for now. Once we invade the Fire Nation the world will know the truth and everything will be set right."

He shoved my hand off. "Right?! This is wrong! If people think I'm dead then they'll lose hope! If hope is lost then the Fire Nation will definitely win!"

Zuko shook his head. "You were gone for a hundred years, Aang. If people were going to lose hope they would've a long time ago and my grandfather would've conquered the world."

Aang shut his eyes in frustration. He didn't respond to Zuko's statement.

The sound of a ship horn blared from the distance, and we all gasped peeking over the crate we were nearby. A giant Fire Nation vessel loomed over the rail of the ship, heading straight towards us. Aang seemed to be without reason as he stood with his staff and snapped, "I'll handle this! The Avatar is back!" He snapped his glider open, and tried to grab onto the ends of the orange wings that spread behind him. He flinched from the pain but seemed determined.

"Aang, wait!" Katara intervened. "Remember, they don't know we're not Fire Nation."

Dad and Bato put their Fire Nation helmets on. My father then stated, "Everyone stay calm. Bato and I will handle this."

The next steps were a routine for us. The Duke rushed over to Appa with Pipsqueak to pull a large tarp over his body, while Momo hid under the tarp with him. Once that was covered, the other six warriors with us moved into the shadows in case they needed to fight. The rest of us hid in the stairwell leading below deck, with Aang pouting in defeat.

"I hate not being able to do anything," Aang muttered as he peeked through the doorway.

Toph, who was sitting on a step, stated, "Hopefully you won't have to."

Zuko ran a hand through his hair. "It's probably just a routine check. They're frequent over in these waters. As long as Chief Hakoda and Bato play the part they shouldn't get suspicious."

My heart pounded heavily in my chest as fear coursed through me. Sitting on a step, I balled my hands into fists on my lap in anticipation. If we were caught, we would most likely be imprisoned. And this time Zuko wouldn't be able to protect me from monsters like Zhao.

"Princess," Toph whispered from above me. "Chill before you lose it. Your heart is giving me a migraine."

I said a soft sorry, and took in a deep breath. My heart did calm, and I tried to focus on what was happening outside. After a moment, I could make out that my father was speaking to someone. What they were saying I wasn't sure, but the doorway above me was too crowded to try and take a peak.

It seemed like the longest three minutes ever, and I shut my eyes hoping everything went smooth. Unfortunately, my hope wasn't enough.

A gasp escaped Toph as she heard what the enemy said through the metal vibrations of the ship. Standing from her step, she raced up shoving through the group gathered at the doorway. As she raced past them, she slammed the slightly ajar door open and shouted, "They know!"

She slammed her hand down and a rumble was heard. Then only seconds later shouts rang out and there were splashes. Katara shouted, "Let's go! Sokka, keep Aang safe!"

As we rushed out to fight, we found that the enemy ship was pulled up alongside our own. The Fire Nation soldiers had dropped a rope ladder to the water below to help the men who fell in the sea back onboard. Fire started to shoot towards us from the firebenders who stood at their own ship railing.

Katara thought fast and lifted a wave from between our ships that pushed the enemy away from us. While she did so, my father bellowed up at the control room to Tonto who was steering the ship, "Retreat!"

Our ship moved again away from the enemy, who quickly started to tail us from behind. As they followed, fireballs were launched at us from one of their catapults. The first attack missed us by a hair, and we were relieved. Zuko, Katara, and I were out of range to help fight off the enemy and instead tried to keep our balance as the ship rocked like crazy. As another fireball was launched, we hoped it would miss like the first. Unfortunately it hit the hull of the ship and shook the vessel violently. We all gasped to regain balance.

"Load the Toph!"

Looking over in surprise, I saw the Duke struggle as he carried over a large metal disk and set it in front of her. I was bewildered by the kids strength, and even more so when Toph shot the disk at the enemy hitting the catapult directly and destroying it. The Duke placed another disk in front of her, and she shot it again as another catapult on the enemy ship was launched. Her disk hit the coming fireball spot on causing an explosion in the air.

"I'm going to run to the engine room and give us more speed," Zuko stated.

Katara nodded. "Good idea. Crystal and I will work on getting us some cover."

As Katara headed to the stern, I looked over at Zuko as he ran off towards the stairwell where Aang and Sokka were. As he disappeared below, I told myself he would be fine. After everything I'd been through though, there was a part of me that would always worry something would go wrong.

Approaching the rail where Katara stood, we both started to make a cloud of fog to shield our ship from the enemy that was gaining on us. As if the enemy knew we were trying to gain the advantage, a projectile was shot at us through the mist and pierced into the hull of the ship. As it dug into the metal, we all stumbled from the quake of the ship. The projectile was ripped back then, and I sensed the water start to fill the hull of the ship.

I gasped. "They're trying to sink us!"

Katara was as worried as I. "We need to freeze up that hole before we take on too much water."

Nodding, I looked down at the hole where water was spilling in. "I'll push the water out! You focus on giving us cover."

I took off to the stairs in the direction that Zuko had gone only moments before. As I reached the doorway, Aang eagerly asked, "What can I help with?"

I stopped in my step and looked at him. Glancing over at Sokka who shook his head in disbelief, I looked back at Aang. "You can help by keeping an eye on Sokka." I turned before he could protest and rushed down the stairs. Racing through the halls, and further down below the ship, I arrived at a large metal door that led into the hull. The hall was vaguely lit around me by some torches and the air was cold. Grabbing the doors latch, I yanked it up and pulled it open.

Heading down the stairs, I gasped as I found myself knee deep in water. Looking through the dim room, I saw the water was starting to rise as it poured in from the large hole that had been formed in the metal of the ship. Shutting my eyes, I felt the water pushing around me and lifted each particle from below. Then with as much force as I could, I shoved the water back towards the hole pushing the liquid out of the ship back into the sea. Once the last of the water hit the hole, I froze a thick layer of ice to plug up the damage. Once the hole was plugged, I turned to head back to the others. However, the sound of ice cracking stopped me, and I looked back in shock.

The water was too warm for the ice, and the cracking barrier broke up causing water to pour into the ship again. I couldn't believe my luck. "You've got to be kidding me!"

As the water started to fill up again, I pushed it back out desperate to keep our ship going. Something hit against the ship though, causing me to lose concentration and fall into the water that was starting to rise. Trying to catch my breath, I knew I couldn't give up.

Standing once more, I looked at the hole where the projectile had torn through, and tried to use my head. For some reason, the thought ' _what would Sokka do?'_ raced through me. Stepping up to the hole where water was steadily pouring in, I examined the sides of it that were jutting out in four different ways. Picking up some water from around me, I moved the element above the bent metal and froze it into a firm ball of ice.

 _Please work…_

With as much force as I could muster, I slammed the ice down hard on the metal. The force of my element against the bent out frame caused it to bend back slightly towards its original position. As I hammered my ice against the metal repeatedly, I watched with thrill as my method was working. Moving my arms up and down rapidly to keep the ice pounding against the metal was hard work, but after a good ten minutes I had the top of the hole back to its shape.

Pushing the water out again, I froze the outside of the hole long enough for me to pound at the metal that still needed to be bent back. Getting a ball of ice once more, I smashed against the last of the bent out metal hitting it back into position. There were still cracks in the wall after I was done from where the metal was broken up, so a small amount of water was still leaking through. However, the hull wasn't filling as rapidly as it had been.

"Wow… That was impressive," Zuko's voice spoke from the doorway. Turning, I saw him at the top of the stairs with an expression of astonishment. My brother and Aang stood behind him in surprise too.

I was shocked to see the three of them. "How long have you been standing there?"

My brother looked at my work, and then smirked, "Long enough to see how damn clever you are!"

Zuko rolled his eyes as he stepped over to me. He then looked at the water that slightly trickled through the cracks of the metal. "I can weld the pieces together if you push the remaining water out."

Although I was exhausted, I knew this part would be a piece of cake. Pushing the water back up the wall and out into the sea that rested behind, Zuko shot fire at the cracks at the same time. As his fire trailed along the cracks the metal melted together while cooling at the same time from the water behind it. When he was done, a glowing 'x' was left on the wall before us and started to fade as it cooled. To our relief, the hole was sealed and the water stopped.

With exhaustion, I fell back against the opposite wall wiping the sweat from my forehead. Aang commented from where he stood, "You and Sokka definitely think alike, Crys."

I caught my breath, saying in between, "I don't know if that's a good thing."

"On the plus side," Sokka began. "A giant sea monster just took out the enemy ship, so we don't have much to worry about!"

I smiled weakly. Giant sea monsters didn't surprise me anymore after all we'd been through. "So our luck is starting to turn."

Aang and I met one another's gaze for a moment, and I saw something flash through his eyes. Confliction? Worry? Frustration? Whatever it was, I knew he had a thousand thoughts racing through him at the moment.

Zuko, who was exhausted from his own task of speeding up the ship in the boiler room, said, "We should head back up to make sure everyone is okay." As he and Sokka started to head up the stairs, Aang stepped aside to let them go. With a heavy sigh, I pulled from the wall and started to follow. My body ached, and the healing flesh on my back was aggravated from the strain on my body. I knew getting up to some fresh air would help.

As I went to step past Aang, he angled his staff in my path to block my exit. I looked at him with question. He dropped his gaze as he spoke, "You know… I may not remember much when Azula struck me with lightning, but I do remember the events leading up to it." He looked at me with an intense gaze. "You were injured that day too… I heard your scream when I was at the Eastern Air Temple in a vision. You're still not a hundred percent either. How bad were you hurt that day?"

Looking at Aang, I knew why he was so upset almost immediately. He blamed himself for not being able to protect me from Azula just as Zuko had. Placing a hand on Aang's shoulder, I lied to give him some comfort. He hadn't seen my back, so he didn't need to know the truth. "Just some bruised ribs and a few cuts. It's nothing to worry about. It feels better as the days go by, so no need to beat yourself up." I squeezed his shoulder. "I'm just glad your back, Aang. I missed you. We all did."

He nodded slowly, pulling his staff back to let me go. As I headed through the doorway to get back on deck, I heard Aang sigh heavily from behind and follow.

A few days later, we arrived at a merchants pier to restock again and also make repairs to some of the damage on deck. As my father and Bato headed into town to negotiate for equipment and goods, the others wanted to head on land for some stable ground and a change of scenery. Zuko wanted to stay back, worried someone would recognize him, but Sokka threw a cape over him and yanked the hood up saying, "There! Problem solved."

Aang decided to stay on the ship when we told him our plans of heading into town for dinner. When Sokka handed him a gray headband to cover up the arrow that peaked below his hairline, Aang turned sour and pouted. Katara stayed back to talk to him for a moment, while the rest of us headed up on deck and waited for her. When she reemerged, she seemed downhearted and worried.

I stepped over to her placing my hand gently on her arm. "Everything alright?"

She shook her head. "He's upset… I don't know if we should leave him down there alone…"

Looking over at the town, and then back at my disheartened sister, I gave a small smile, "You know, I could actually use this time to wash up a little. I'll go give Aang company when I'm done. Bring me back some dinner."

The group was surprised. "Are you sure? We may not hit land again for another day or so," Sokka commented.

Katara shook her head. "You don't have to do that, Crys… He'll probably be fine… I just worry."

Putting my hand to her back, I nudged her toward the group. "I'll be fine. You're right. It's not fair to leave Aang here while the rest of us go explore. I've seen my share of merchant towns."

Zuko stepped over with uncertainty. "I can stay too if-"

I cut him off. "We need to test your disguise for when we get deeper into the Fire Nation. These ports know about you, so it's the perfect opportunity to make sure we won't be found out."

Toph spoke up from where she stood with Pipsqueak and the Duke. "Yeah, Sparky. Princess will be fine with Twinkletoes for a few hours. You two could use some space from each other. Your lovey dovey stuff is making me more seasick than I already am."

Zuko and I both glared at her, and she smirked sensing our irritation. Then turning my attention back to Zuko, I put my arms around his neck and got on my tiptoes to kiss him on the lips. He kissed me back with a smile, getting that I was just messing with Toph.

Toph made a gag sound when we pulled apart, and then snapped while pointing at us, "I think we need a six inch rule! Sokka, isn't there any Southern Water Tribe rules about engaged couples having to behave before their wedding?"

Katara giggled. "Not really Toph. When you're engaged in the South Pole, usually your married a few days later."

Toph groaned. "Well I think Mr. Brother over here needs to make some boundaries!"

Sokka tapped his chin. "Hm… Yes. I guess you're right." He held up a finger as a thought hit him. "I got it. From now on you're only allowed one kiss a day!"

I rolled my eyes, while Zuko snapped, "We don't even kiss every day!"

"Keep it that way!" Toph turned and headed towards the gangplank. "If you don't I'm locking you both in seperate cells!"

Zuko kissed me on the cheek then, saying, "We'll be back soon."

I nodded. "I know. You all have fun."

Katara hugged me suddenly, saying, "Thanks sis."

I hugged her back. "I'll keep an eye on him."

The group left then, and I sighed heading back down into the ship. Stopping at Aang's door, I saw he was still pouting on his bed. "Hey… I'm just going down to my room for a few minutes. If you need anything let me know."

He looked at me from where he was sitting cross legged. "You didn't go with the others?"

Shaking my head, I leaned against the door frame crossing my arms. "I was worried you'd be lonely. I'll be back in a few minutes. Maybe we can play Pai Sho. I think I saw a board in the chest in my room." He nodded but didn't respond. "By the way... " I smiled reassuringly. "This isn't forever, Aang… The world will know about you very soon. So try to cheer up… I miss your carefree self."

He hung his head, but gave a small nod. I took the hint he needed a moment to himself.

Heading down the hall, I reached my room and shut the door behind. A deep sigh escaped me as Aang's down heartened face lingered in my memory. I couldn't imagine how much burden he was putting on his shoulders.

Walking over to the basin in the corner of the room, I lifted my shirt up and over my head so I had access to my back. Turning my body, I saw my reflection in the thin glass and grimaced when I saw the scabbed skin of my injury. The mark stretched from the bend of my back as if I had a red flower the size of a hand sprouting from my spine. The dead skin had started to heal, but the red tint would stay forever. The only thing that drove me insane was how much it itched as it healed, but I was able to hide my discomfort.

Turning, I grabbed the rag from the basin and pushed the lever on the spout to get some water to flow into the bowl. Dipping the rag, I went to press it to my back but stopped when I heard a gasp. Looking up, I saw Aang in the mirror from the doorway. His eyes were wide as he stared at my back from where he stood. Turning, I dropped the rag in shock. "Aang!"

He narrowed his eyes. "You lied to me! You were injured much worse than you said!"

I grabbed my shirt to throw it back on, but Aang was already in front of me. He grabbed my wrist causing me to drop the shirt in shock. "Let me see it!"

His order was surprising. Being older than Aang, and seeing such maturity in his expression, I wasn't sure how to respond to such a demand. I tried to pull from him while it did my best to reassure him. "Aang... I'm sorry I lied, but this is not your concern… What happened to me has nothing to do with you. Azula's wanted to hurt me since she learned of my relationship with Zuko. This is a family matter… It has nothing to do with the war..."

His grip didn't waver, and I knew he wasn't letting it go. "Seriously Aang," I turned so he could see it. "It's healing. There's nothing to be so worried about." He let my hand go as he examined the raw flesh that was turning into a scar.

He stared at my back for a moment, which made me cross my arms self-consciously. "Nothing, huh…" His voice finally sounded behind me, and I turned to face him. His eyes were shut as great confliction took him over. "You would've never been in this situation if I never came into your life… I've brought this on all of you… Katara was burned because of me. Sokka lost Yue because of me. Toph had to betray her family because of me. The Fire Nation destroyed my people because of me!" He snapped his eyes open with tears falling. "Everything leading up to now would've never happened if I didn't runaway a hundred years ago and let the world down!"

His eyes scanned the room suddenly, and I looked at him with question. He walked over to the chest in the room and started to rummage through. "Aang? What are you doing?" I pulled my shirt back on finally, and stepped over to get a look, but by that point he was pulling out some long strands of cloth that Katara had been planning to use as fresh bandages for his wound.

"I'm sorry…" Aang said softly. " I can't let you or the others get into trouble again. You all want to help me defeat the Fire Lord, but I can't let anyone else get hurt. I have to finish this war on my own."

"What?!" I was horrified. "That's nonsense! You don't know what you're saying. We can take care of ourselves Aang. We know what we can handle, and we want to help you!"

He shook his head, keeping his back to me. "I know you do. But I can't forgive myself if anything else happens to you all. You're the only family I have left… I can't lose anyone else."

"You won't!" I stepped forward ready to comfort him. "We want to help you, Aang."

His shoulders tensed. "I know… And that's why I need to go now before the others get back and try to stop me."

The sincerity in his words caused me to grow anxious. "Go… Go where?"

"To the Fire Nation Capital. I'm facing the Fire Lord alone."

My heart accelerated as worry overcame me. "Aang! Don't be ridiculous! You're injured! There's no way I'm letting you go anywhere alone in your condition! Especially not the Fire Nation Capital!"

He let out a deep sigh. "I knew you'd react this way. And I'm sorry about this Crystal… I have no choice though… The others will be back soon. I'll leave a note for them to let them know you're in here."

My eyes widened as I realized what was going on. "Aang…" I backed up, trying to feel for the water in the basin near me. "Stop. Don't do this…"

He let out a heavy breath as he turned and met my gaze with determination. "I can't let you stop me. I know you'll try to follow, so this is the only solution."

I reached back to grab the water, but he was one step ahead of me. His hand shot forward suddenly and wind smashed into me sending me flying back against the wall. My body dropped immediately from the impact, and I tried to regain my senses as my whole body vibrated in pain. Before I could get my grounding, Aang was behind me and grabbed my hands with streams of water pushing them together behind my back. He froze them together then, and wrapped the long cloth around my wrists so even if I bent the water off of me I would still be restrained. Once my wrists were tied, he moved to my ankles.

"AANG! STOP IT!" I struggled, but he froze my legs together also, long enough to get the bandages tied around my ankles. "Please! Don't do this! You're going to get yourself killed!" Tears formed in my eyes as i tried to pull myself free from the restraints.

Once I was tied up, he pulled my body into a sitting position so my back was against the wall. Through watery eyes, I saw his guilt ridden expression as he saw my hurt and frustration.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you," he spoke softly and sincere. His eyes watered too. "You've been a great sister to me, Crystal… That's why I have to go. I can't forgive myself if anything else happens to you." He stood and stepped away. "Take care of everyone for me. Especially Katara." He turned then, heading towards the doorway.

"Aang! No! Please!" I squirmed in my binds, trying to escape so I could stop him from his foolish act.

He stepped out, grabbing the door to close it.

"Stop! This is madness! We all want to help you! We're a team!"

He gripped the door. "I'm the Avatar… Ending the war is a duty I must complete on my own, no matter the price I must pay to do it." He looked back at me with resolve. "I must regain my honor, and I can't let you stop me." He shut the door then, and I was left in the room in horror.

"AANG! No!"

My voice echoed through the room, and I stared at the shut door in shock and agony. Katara had been right to worry. Aang had completely lost it. I knew I had to get out of my restraints. I had to get to him before he left. Squirming as much as I could, I felt the ice crack as it melted from my body heat. Once my hands and ankles were no longer frozen, I worked on trying to pull out of my cloth restraints. Aang knew what he was doing though, and the restraints were too tight for me to fight through. Pulling against the fabric made my skin raw, and I grimaced as the friction started to burn.

I shut my eyes in defeat as tears fell, and dropped my head back against the wall. Taking in a few deep breaths, I felt every bit of my heart ache as I feared the worst. Aang was going to get himself killed. At the thought, I struggled again to break through my restraints only to tighten the bandage. "Damnit!"

It seemed a struggled for a good hour, trying to find any nook and cranny in the room I could to slice at the bandage. My knife was in the room, but at the bottom of my bag. I had managed to roll across the room to the bag, but having my hands tied behind me made it the hardest thing in the world to untie the bag's clasp and open it.

I was in the process of trying to use the sharp corner of the chest in the room to cut at the bandage when the door opened again. Toph and Zuko rushed in and immediately saw me.

"I knew Princess was in here!" Toph pointed at me as Zuko rushed over.

"Katara found Aang's note," Zuko said. "We came here as fast as we could. Are you hurt?"

My eyes met his, and then I shut them in agony. "No… Just frustrated with myself… I couldn't stop him."

Zuko moved behind me and started to work on the knot Aang had tied. As he attempted to free me from my restraints, Toph let out a deep sigh. "Did you really expect to stop him? He's the Avatar. If the Fire Nation couldn't capture Twinkletoes after months of chasing him across the Earth Kingdom, what makes you think you'd able to stop him from leaving the ship. You were no match for that kid no matter how hard you tried."

Looking over at Toph, I watched her step over to the bag I'd tried to open before. Opening it with ease, she felt inside and pulled the knife out. Walking over to Zuko, she handed it down to him. I felt the flat side of the blade only a moment later and then the bonds were cut free. After my wrists and ankles were freed, Toph helped me up while Zuko returned the knife to its original place.

"So he just attacked you? That doesn't seem like something he'd do." Zuko asked as we left the room to join the others up on deck.

I frowned, crossing my arms. "He saw my burn on my back and cracked. He said he didn't want to be the cause for any of us getting hurt again. When I caught on to his intentions, he knew I was going to stop him. He didn't want to hurt me, but he was determined to go."

"It's not your fault," Zuko reassured softly. "The letter said he needs to regain his honor… Once that gets in a person's head it's hard to get through to them. You remember how it was for me..."

Toph nodded. "Yeah Princess… He's been pouting for days. This was sure to happen. We'll get him back."

I hung my head. "Yeah… I know…"

Eventually we got back on deck, and when we did we were surprised to see Katara in father's embrace. Sokka busily prepared Appa for flight, securing the saddle that the warriors had made over the last few weeks on his back. As he did so, The Duke and Pipsqueak helped load supplies onto the saddle.

"Crys!" Katara pulled from dad and rushed over with worry. "Are you alright?"

I smiled weakly, "No damage… Aang wasn't too rough. I'll live."

Father met my gaze and said, "You all should prepare to head out. I've already discussed with Sokka the new plan. You five will go after Aang, and the rest of us will continue west. We'll meet you at the meetup spot right before the eclipse."

As Zuko, Toph, and Katara headed off to gather their belongings, I stayed back to speak to father.

"You all be careful and take care of each other," dad begged, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I know you kids will be just fine, but I still worry."

Throwing my arms around his waist, he hugged me to him in return as we shared our good-bye. "We'll take care of each other. Promise. Be careful, dad. We'll see you soon."

He pressed a hand to the back of my head and kissed my forehead. Pulling away, he brushed a finger across the outline of my scar. "I'm so proud of you, daughter." His hand then moved down to the necklace Zuko gave me, and he lifted it up to examine it. "This gem reminds me of the crystal cave your mother and I were engaged in." He stopped and shut his eyes as the painful memory came over him.

I placed my hand over his and squeezed it for comfort. "There's a lot I still can't tell you about that day so long ago, but I will say this dad..." I smiled. "When the Fire Nation invaded our shores, mom had only one desire and that was to protect all of us." I shut my eyes as tears threatened to spill. "Her love saved the tribe that day…"

His hand shook as he took in my words. He nodded though. "You're so much like her. Zuko is a lucky man to have won your heart." I was surprised by his statement, and looked up at him in question. He brushed a strand of hair back behind my ear. "If Zuko makes you happy, daughter, then I give you my blessing. Just promise me you'll never forget your people."

Meeting his eyes with sincerity, I promised, "No matter where my future takes me, my blood will always be tied to the Water Tribe."

A few minutes later we were on Appa, and after we took off in the sky having waved goodbye to the group who had gathered on deck below, I looked over at Zuko who was directing Sokka on where we should go. He looked ahead with determination, ready to help us get Aang back and continue on with the plan. His transformation over the last few months was more than I could've ever imagined possible. The angry and cold banished Prince I had met on the snow of the South Pole had melted away to a caring and understanding man.

Fate was finally working in my favor it seemed.

After what felt like a good hour of flying across the ocean, we heard Katara shout from where she was looking down on the opposite end of the saddle, "There! I see him!"

At her call, Zuko and I left Toph's side to rush to her end of the saddle. Looking down, I was concerned when I saw Aang's body lying on the cracked layer of what used to be lava. The whole island was the leftover remnants of a volcanic explosion. The same explosion my family and Zuko had almost been caught in so long ago.

"Wow… Roku's temple is completely gone," Zuko stated in bewilderment.

"Yeah… Lava does that to things," Sokka commented as he guided Appa down towards Aang. We landed a moment later on the cooled magma and rushed across the uneven surface to where Aang had washed up on shore. Momo raced ahead and jumped onto his stomach, licking his cheek which actually helped bring him back to consciousness. As Aang came to, Katara rushed to his side with relief.

"H-how did you find me?" He sat up looking at all of us with bewilderment.

Toph pointed to Zuko. "Sparky had an idea of which direction you were headed. That's probably why he was so good at following you all back when he was trying to capture you."

Zuko shrugged. "I knew you were headed west, so I just kept us on course."

Katara helped Aang up then, and Toph and Sokka rushed in for a group hug with Momo on Aang's shoulder. When they pulled away, Aang hung his head in shame. "I have so much I need to do."

My sister placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I know. But you'll have our help."

Toph pounded her knuckles to her palm. "You didn't think you could get out of training just by coming to the Fire Nation, did you?"

Aang smiled weakly, and then asked, "What about the invasion?"

"We'll join up with my dad and the invasion force on the day of the eclipse," Sokka answered.

As he spoke, Zuko had walked over to Aang's staff which was burnt and busted. Once he had the useless glider in his hands, he came back over to Aang with sympathy. "Sorry, Aang. Looks like your staff has seen its last days."

He sighed, taking the object from him. "No… It's okay. If someone saw it then it would give my identity away. It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive." He jumped away from us then using a sharp burst of air. Landing up on a higher elevation of the small island, he slammed the glider down and a moment later it burst to flames. As his glider became nothing more than ash, he returned to us with relief. "I'm glad you guys came… It took a storm for me to realize going in as a team is definitely the right path."

Sokka pulled Aang into a playful chokehold, rubbing his knuckles against the top of his head. "At a boy, Aang! Team Avatar all the way!"

Aang shoved him off, while Toph asked, "Team Avatar? What happened to changing it to the Gaang?"

"It's still a work in progress," Katara commented. "Come on, everyone. Let's get off this island before it explodes again."

As everyone started to walk off, Aang grabbed my arm to stop me. I felt my heart ache as I remembered the last few hours. "Crys… I'm sorry for what happened back on the ship. I hope I didn't hurt you. I was an id-"

Turning, I threw my arms around Aang pulling him into a hug and cutting him off. Tears fell from my eyes as I voiced my thoughts. "Idiot. Don't ever do that again. I was worried sick! I've lost too much in the past. I can't lose you too." I pulled away slightly, meeting his astonished gaze.

"Y-you're not mad?"

I smiled. "You're a brother to me Aang. I wasn't thrilled you knocked me against a wall and tied me up, but seeing you're okay and back with us makes me relieved." I moved my hand to the sea water and snaked a stream above Aang's head. He looked up at the last second and gasped when I dropped a shower of water on him. As he stood in front of me drenched again from head to toe, I stated, "But now we're even."

He looked at me with shock, but then smiled and broke into laughter. I laughed too, throwing an arm across his shoulders and leading him back towards Appa and the others.

 **Third Person POV**

The double doors opened causing a cast of light to fill the dim fire lit room of the Fire Nation Palace. The room had an elevated stand where a large throne was placed in the middle. Walls of blue fire shot on both sides of the platform, and a shadowed figure sat at the center on the throne. As heavy metal stomped against the stone of the throne room floor, Azula sat back against the throne watching curiously.

The heavy sounds stopped as a giant man with a bald head came to a halt in front of the throne. Azula looked over the man with inquisitive eyes, and then grinned maniacally. "My, my… You are much taller than I imagined." She stood from the throne and stepped forward to the edge of the platform. "I've heard about you and your… accomplishments… I have a proposition for you."

The man said nothing, standing firm to the ground. His metal boot looked large compared to the rest of his giant body. His third eye which was tattooed on his forehead seemed to stare into Princess Azula's soul.

"I'm willing to offer you a handsome sum of money. In return, I want you to find someone for me." She looked down at her nails as she spoke. "My brother has switched sides, and I fear he will be coming here very soon to dethrone my father and I. Therefore, I want you to help me remind him of his place in this world." She smiled. "I want you to take away the thing he loves most. He needs to be punished for his actions." She looked into the eyes of the man before her. "Kill that Water Tribe wench with the scar, bring me her necklace as proof, and you will be paid fully for your service."

The man with the eye tattoo and metal boot was approached a moment later by a Dai Li officer, who handed him a small bag of coins and a scroll.

"This is ten percent of your payment. Complete the job, and the rest is yours," Azula stated. She then turned and sat back down on the throne. "And no tricks. I want her dead. You are dismissed."

The man said nothing as he turned and left the throne room. Once the double doors shut behind him, Azula leaned back on the chair with a grin. "You should've taken my advice and come home, brother. You've made your last mistake."


	48. My Reflection

**Hey Readers! I know this chapter is super overdue and I feel terrible for making you all wait so long. I have been swamped at work, and have had no time to write at home because of a new Kitten my family got a few weeks ago. I'm finally done though despite all of the distractions, so I hope you enjoy! ~Faithy Waithy**

* * *

 **Chapter 48: My Reflection**

 **Crystal POV**

Moving my hand through the air absentmindedly, I let the thick fog before me dance around my fingertips as I leaned forward against the side of Appa's saddle. Katara kept the fog over us as we traveled forward through the enemy's territory. While we were all anxious about being completely surrounded by the Fire Nation, I was excited to see new sights and lands. I was especially interested in seeing the world Zuko had grown up in. Of course, currently the only one seeing anything was Aang who steered Appa along. Momo slept on Zuko's lap who pet him absently, while Sokka looked over a map. Toph was lying back with boredom, ready to land so she could see again.

"I wonder how much farther the outer island is," Katara thought aloud. "I feel like we should've gotten there by now."

Zuko answered. "Usually I'd be able to tell you if we were on a ship, but Appa travels much faster so I don't really know. From Roku's Temple to the mainland, usually it's a day trek by boat. We left the melted temple at sunset and it's sunrise, so if anything we should be getting there soon."

Toph added, "At least Sokka's not steering us, because if he were it would become a three day trip."

Sokka defended himself. "I'm great with directions!"

Aang chimed in up front, "He did help us get to the North Pole."

"It's the _North_ Pole. You just go north. Not that hard," Katara commented.

Zuko sighed, and I looked over at him with question. The rest of the group fell silent in curiosity too. He was surprised when he saw the sudden attention he was getting. He looked at the eyes on him with a start, asking, "What?"

"You sighed," Toph answered. "What's up Sparky?"

Zuko grimaced, looking over at me briefly and then back to Momo in his lap. "I was just remembering those long weeks of chasing you all up north. I was so determined to catch the Avatar and became blind to everything else…" He hung his head. "You all must've been exhausted constantly running from me."

Katara frowned. "Well, I do admit that you didn't make our life very easy having to constantly stay on alert and keep moving."

Sokka added with a shrug, "But, you weren't the only one chasing us so don't put all the blame on you. Zhao and his men were on our tail for a while too." He looked back at his map. "Besides, we preferred you over Zhao anyway. At least when you were on our tail, I felt better knowing my sister wasn't too far from my reach."

The thought of me being seperated from my family made my gut twist. Guilt fell over Zuko, and he shut his eyes as he tore himself up over what Sokka said. I left my spot and scoot over to where Zuko was sitting against the side of the saddle. Moving beside him, I hugged him to give him some comfort. As Zuko hugged me back, Momo left his lap and moved over to where Sokka was to see what he was doing.

"I regret so many things," Zuko spoke softly. "I wish I could take back every fire ball I threw at you guys."

Katara smirked. "Don't worry, Zuko. We'll get you back for it. Especially when you and Crys have kids in the future. I'll be sure to tell them all about your failure to capture a twelve year old kid."

Zuko and I blushed simultaneously at the thought of having kids together. Her comment flustered the both of us to the point that her insult towards Zuko slid right by. Sokka shook his head."No, no! No talk about my sis having babies! I can't think about stuff like that."

Toph scoffed. "What do you think's gonna happen when they're married, Sokka? Do I need to talk with you about where you came from?"

Sokka's ears went red. "No! I don't need that talk!" He then pointed over at me. "You better not do anything but kiss!"

Covering my face, I shook my head in disbelief. "Can we please change the subject?"

"Sure," Toph began. "Let's talk about what will happen to the Fire Nation once we dethrone the Fire Lord."

Aang looked back at the group from where he was still guiding Appa. "I've thought a lot about that, and I have an idea." He looked at Zuko with determination. "Your people will need a leader once we defeat your father, Zuko. One with a fresh mind and generous heart. Will you be willing to take the place as Fire Lord?"

Zuko was stunned by Aang's question. He seemed at a loss for words as he replayed what Aang had just suggested in his mind. With a weak smile though, Zuko answered, "It's something I've wanted for so long… A chance to regain my honor. If I become Fire Lord, I'll rule with compassion and understanding like Avatar Roku would want me to." He then looked at me with sudden desire. "But I don't want to do it alone."

His words were more so nerve-wracking than a surprise..

"Once my father is defeated and I become Fire Lord, I think the best way to unify the Four Nations is to bring fire and water together. Once we stabilize the regions and stop the fighting, Crystal and I can wed as a symbol of peace. By marrying the Chief's daughter of the Southern Water Tribe, we can bring our two nations together to reassure everyone that the world is no longer divided." He took my hand suddenly, and my skin burned from the attention everyone was giving us as I met his gaze. My heart raced. "Of course, it doesn't have to be an overly extravagant thing if you don't want it to be. We could always have the ceremony at the South Pole."

I was in shock, but when I saw the sincerity in his gaze all I could do was blush from the heat of his touch.

"Great idea!" Aang chimed. "You and Crystal leading the Fire Nation side by side is a perfect symbol of unity!"

Katara smiled. "Yes! That will be a wonderful way to start repairing the Four Nations and restore harmony at last."

Toph smirked. "You know… They already act like a married couple anyway. May as well make it official."

Sokka seemed to be for the idea as well. "My sister, Fire Lady of the Fire Nation…?" He nodded. "Doesn't have a bad ring to it actually."

As the group continued to talk about my wedding and future, I looked down at Zuko's grasp on my hand feeling uneasy. Fire Lady…? I hadn't thought much about what marrying Zuko would mean other than that I could be by his side for the rest of my days. The thought of helping him rule a whole nation, and being a symbol to the world made me sick with uncertainty. How could I help lead a whole nation I had no knowledge of? It would take me years to learn the odds and ends of the Fire Nation, and that doesn't even include its customs and traditions.

I'd make a fool of myself…

Zuko glanced over at me suddenly sensing something was off by the tremble of my hand. I tried to give a convincing smile to him so he wouldn't worry, but a feeling of uncertainty was already swirling within me and I couldn't stop.

"Hey! I see land!" Aang shouted, taking Zuko's attention from me.

Sokka quickly jumped into action. "Alright everyone. Quiet time now. We're about to enter the enemy's land."

Zuko shook his head. "I don't think you have to worry about anything, Sokka. These are the outer islands. If soldiers are positioned anywhere it would be closer to the Fire Nation Capital, or in the more populated towns. We shouldn't have a problem right now."

Sokka rolled up his map. "It's better to be safe than sorry."

Toph nodded. "Yeah. Definitely don't want to deal with Firebenders right now..." She grimaced. "No offense Sparky."

Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. "None taken." He then mentioned to Aang, "There are a lot of caves around here. Let's find one to land Appa in."

Only a moment later, Aang exclaimed with excitement, "I think I see a cave below!"

My brother snapped, "Shhush... keep quiet!"

Katara let the cloud of fog evaporate then, and we were all able to see our surroundings again. A large cave stood in front of us, having been formed by erosion from the waves that most likely hit it during times of very high tide. Giant boulders jutted around us, and some pidge-puffins hopped around on the rocky bank. Once Appa landed, my brother managed to dismount and look around with caution. We were blocked well by a mountainous rocky structure, so I had a feeling the only thing we needed to worry about was someone on a boat.

Sokka stopped in front of a large boulder outside of the cave then, crossing his arms. "Great job with the cloud camo, but next time, let's disguise ourselves as the kind of cloud who knows how to keep its mouth shut."

Toph stated with sarcasm as she jumped down from Appa, "Yeah, we wouldn't want a bird to hear us chatting up there and turn us in."

"And you were the one doing most of the talking," Katara commented, managing to drop from Appa too.

Sokka defended himself. "I wasn't the one discussing wedding ceremonies and girly things. And we're in enemy territory now." A pidge-puffin appeared on the boulder above him, and he pointed up at it. "Those are enemy birds." Three more appeared on top of the boulder.

Zuko walked over shoving Sokka's hand down. "Quit being paranoid. You don't have anything to worry about in this area."

Getting off of Appa, I looked around at our surroundings with both curiosity and uncertainty. Sokka was right to be a little worried. We were no longer among friends. Everywhere we went from now on, we would be surrounded by the people we grew up to fear. Aang landed beside me suddenly and placed a hand on my shoulder. I met his gaze with surprise, and I saw him smile weakly at me as if he had sensed my worry. Momo leaned forward from Aang's shoulder and licked my cheek. I nodded to let them both know I was fine. As they left me beside Appa to approach the group gathered by the boulder, I looked back at the direction we'd just come.

Home felt so far away, even though we were closer than we had been in months. By winning the war and wedding Zuko, I knew I'd be even further from the land I truly knew.

"Let's check out the cave!" Aang grabbed Zuko's arm sleeve suddenly and tugged him over to the area we'd be making shelter. As the rest of the group went in, I followed quietly keeping to my thoughts. As the group discussed the large cave that was colder than I imagined the Fire Nation to be, I kicked at a loose rock absentmindedly.

If I were to marry Zuko, then this cave and everything around it would be under his and my authority. Being Fire Lady, I'd be responsible for ensuring the safety of every part of the Fire Nation. I loved Zuko so much, but the thought of having such responsibility chilled me to the core. I couldn't protect my mother and was too weak to escape my captors in the past. Was I really strong enough to be the future Fire Lord's wife?

Shaking my head, I tried to push the unnecessary thoughts out, but they just kept coming.

"Well, this is it. This is how we'll be living until the invasion begins. Hiding in cave after cave...after cave...after cave…"

Sokka's statement brought me out of my thoughts briefly, to which I was relieved. Looking over, I saw he'd hung his head in dismay from his own words.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Sokka, we don't need to become cave people. What we need is some new clothes."

Aang nodded. "Yeah! Blending in is better than hiding out. If we get Fire Nation disguises, we'll be just as safe as we would be hiding in a cave."

Toph walked over to the side of the cave. "Plus...they have real food out there. Does anyone wanna sit in the dirt and eat cave-hoppers?" She punched the wall then, and several bugs hopped out from the cracks of the cave. My sister grimaced, while I nudged a few away with my boot. Momo raced after one, catching it and biting into it. We all grimaced at his appetite.

"Yeah… I think new clothes is a good idea," Zuko muttered as he watched Momo eat the bug with horror. "I'm sure we can find some at the town nearby. There's one just over these rocks, about a mile west. There will be guards, so we need to be as discreet as possible."

"And once we find some clothes, we can go check out the town and get some lunch," Katara suggested. "We could all use some good food."

At the mention of food, Sokka cheered up and joined the plan. "Great idea! Let's get going!"

We ended up leaving Appa at the cave to rest from his long flight, and then climbed through the rocky terrain to get to a much flatter area along the bank. Zuko had grown up memorizing the lay out of the land and its numerous territories, so he was able to lead us along the bank of the beach towards the outskirts of the nearest town. After climbing up a steep incline, we reached the top of a cliff where numerous clothes-lines were stretched out.

As we crouched behind a large boulder, Katara commented, "That's a lot of clothes in one place!"

Zuko peaked around the boulder with concentration. "There are laundry shops like this scattered across the Fire Nation. Some people prefer to pay for their clothes to be cleaned."

Sokka scoffed. "Are people lazy in the Fire Nation?"

Toph smirked. "My kind of place!"

Katara snapped, "Don't get used to it. You're still doing your own laundry Toph."

Aang frowned. "I don't know about this. These clothes belong to somebody..."

My sister was too excited for new clothes to listen. "I call the silk robe!" She darted out from behind the rock, which led the rest of us to follow in a panic. We didn't want to be caught stealing clothes and have our identities discovered right off. Thankfully the laundry man was passed out asleep on a wooden chair under the shade of the small laundry hut. We all managed to grab an outfit off of the long extended ropes that looked the correct size. Once we were safely out of the area, having stolen shoes to match the outfits as well, we made our way back down the cliff to a secluded beach.

As the boys went behind a large boulder to change, us girls did the same behind our own stone wall. Looking down at the outfit I'd grabbed, which had been hanging beside the one Katara had snatched, I felt my stomach twist with uncertainty.

"Uh… I think I made a mistake," I commented.

Katara, who was already undressed and in just her shift asked, "Why? What's wrong?" She glanced at the outfit, and then smiled weakly. "Oh… It will be okay."

I looked over at her red fabric and saw the style was similar. Toph already had her fullly covering outfit on, and I could tell even if I asked to trade hers would be a little too small height wise.

Sighing heavily, I looked down at the two piece red outfit that would definitely reveal the scar on my collarbone and the burn on my stomach and back. Taking in a deep breath, I took off my outer clothes leaving on my shift. Putting on the red skirt over my white shorts, the fabric stopped right above my knees. A gold trim shot from the center of the skirt and parted closer to the bottom hitting the other gold trim that went along the skirts edge. The dark red sleeveless shirt I put on covered my chest stopping right below my collarbone, having a gold trim that laced around the top and bottom. There were two thin red strands of fabric the width of my pinky to tie around my neck and hold the shirt in place. I'd grabbed some red sandals in the process and managed to get the thin straps to hold around my ankles.

Katara's outfit was in two pieces as well. Her top had a wide strap that covered her left shoulder, and the fabric cut off right below her chest. There was no trim on her top, but she did have a small tie where the fabric came together at the bottom. Her skirt was actually brown pants that stopped at the calf with the skirt slit on both sides. Her skirt also had black trim on the three darker fabrics that hung from the top of the skirt down to her knees. She had similar stranded shoes like my own.

Toph's outfit was the one I envied the most. Hers covered her whole body leaving only below her knees, above her collar bones, and below her shoulders uncovered. Her outfit was red as well, and came with a long red shawl that had yellow in the center. She tied the shawls loose ends to her waist with a red belt. She also put on soft red shoes which I knew wouldn't last.

"Don't worry about your scars, Crys," Katara began, sensing my discomfort. "If anyone asks you can just tell them you got them from a firebending accident… It's likely to happen to anyone in these parts," Katara reassured.

Crossing my arms, I looked down at the sand around me. "Yeah… I guess so…"

As Katara and Toph headed back to the open area of the beach, I hung back running a hand over my collarbone where my scar began. Standing in the shadow of the rocks around me I pictured myself further as Zuko's wife. As I did, I felt another wave of uncertainties and insecurities wash over me again. I'd seen one drawing of Zuko's mother before it was destroyed in the explosion Zhao had caused a long time ago. The image of his mother was that of a beautiful woman with flawless skin and the strength of a Fire Lady. I could never take that title and be the _face_ of the Fire Nation.

"Crys…" Katara came back around the rock suddenly, noticing I hadn't followed. "What's wrong?"

Meeting her gaze, I tried to smile but knew she would see through it. "I'm fine. Just wish I wasn't so exposed."

She walked over to me with knowing. "Don't lie to me…" She stopped and grabbed both of my shoulders. She looked frustrated and concerned. "This doesn't have to do with the outfit. You've been quiet since this morning. What's up with you?"

I grimaced at her perception. "Katara… It's nothing."

Toph's voice broke our conversation short as she shouted, "Hey! You chickies coming?"

Katara sighed, and then grabbed my hand squeezing it with reassurance. "You know you can talk to me sis… You were there for me when Aang was hurt… It's my turn to be there for you."

I smiled weakly. "I know… But this isn't something you can help with." Squeezing her hand back, I promised, "I'm okay. I just have a lot to think about it. Let's just focus now on finding some lunch."

She seemed to want to argue, but then realized she was better off letting it go for now. She knew when I was ready to talk that I would. Eventually we made our way back out into the open where the guys were all waiting with Toph. Once we resurfaced, three sets of eyes fell on the two of us with shock. Aang's eyes stared more at Katara than anyone else, while Sokka looked at the both of us in disbelief. Zuko gazed at me as well, and when he caught my eyes he looked at the sand quickly.

I noticed immediately that the guys were all wearing different outfits as well. Sokka wore a short sleeved long burgundy shirt with a brighter red collar at the top that extended out to the shoulders and had red trim. He wore black pants that cut off right below his knees, and red strap sandals. He'd managed to get his hair up in a topknot as well.

Aang's outfit covered every inch of his skin up to his hands. He wore a tan shirt and some tan pants underneath a black overshirt with red trim. His soft fabric shoes covered his feet and ankles to the point where all you saw were his toes. He'd tied a belt around his forehead to cover the remainder of his arrow tattoo that was already mostly covered by his dark hair.

Zuko was the last, and I honestly was relieved to see him back in Fire Nation colors. He had kept his hair down, and he wore a dark burgundy shirt and the same colored pants. Over his shirt he wore a sleeveless cover darker than the fabric beneath, and gold trim decorated the outer-layers edge. He had a gold belt tied around his waist to keep the outer layer on. His shoes were pointed up at the toes and covered up to his knee.

"Wow…" Aang commented, taking in the appearance of my sister with red cheeks. He then frowned. "Oh… Your mom's necklace."

Katara grimaced when he mentioned it, grabbing the blue charm with water swirls in dismay. "Oh… yeah… I guess it's pretty obviously water tribe, isn't it?" She reluctantly removed it and stuck it in her pants pocket beneath her skirt.

I placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze with knowing. "Only while we're in public. You can wear it otherwise."

She nodded, but still seemed disheartened by the removal.

"You two are showing off a lot of skin there," Sokka commented suddenly, pointing at us both with disapproval.

His statement made all of my insecurities come flooding back.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Chill, Sokka. It's warm here, so these are common outfits for girls our age in this area."

Aang tried to reassure him. "I think they both look beautiful!"

"Hmm…" Toph suddenly thought aloud, changing the subject. "I should probably wear shoes, but then I won't be able to see as well. Sorry shoes!" She plopped down in the dirt and brought her knee up to her chest. Then she yanked on the upper part of her shoe sending the sole flying straight at Zuko's forehead. As it dropped to the ground, he looked at her with disbelief. "Finally, a stylish shoe for the blind earthbender."

Zuko rubbed his forehead. "You keep saying your blind, but I'm not very convinced with that aim."

Toph grinned. "I'm just skilled." Once she had the other sole ripped off, she stood and squished her toes in the earth. "Ah… Much better."

Sokka stepped over to Katara and I still disapproving of our appearance. "I can't take you both to town looking like this. Every guy will be staring."

Toph stepped over punching Sokka in the shoulder. "Chill out! Your brotherly instincts are a little irritating sometimes. Princess and Sugarqueen can take care of themselves. I'm sure you and Sparky can scare of the guys though if you need to."

Eventually we started to make our way to town again, this time in our Fire Nation disguises. Sokka helped Zuko hide his scar slightly by giving him one of the capes we kept on Appa to use its hood. Although we had a feeling no one would recognize him in village clothing, we didn't want to be too careless.

As we headed back over the cliff, and this time down a rocky path towards the town which rested in a valley, Zuko commented on my appearance for the first time. "I've always liked the way you look in red."

I nodded saying a small thanks, but kept quiet as my thoughts raced again with images of the future.

Before I could take another step, he grabbed my arm suddenly and forced us to a stop. I was shocked by his action and looked at him with question. "I know that look. What's wrong with you? You've barely spoken a word since we got off of Appa."

I met his gaze with surprise, and then looked away in guilt. I felt guilt because as much as I wanted to tell him what was wrong, I also didn't want to hurt his feelings or make him think I didn't love him. If I told him I was scared of becoming the future Fire Lady, I feared I'd lose him to another who was more passionate, willing, and suited to accept the role.

The others had stopped walking and looked at us with question. Katara quickly tried to intervene, knowing I wasn't ready to talk. "She's probably just tired from the trip Zuko. I'm sure we all are."

Toph was stunned. "Hey… You're lying, Katara."

As the unwanted attention landed on me, I decided to try and tell the truth to avoid Toph catching my lie. "I'm hungry. I haven't eaten much since we went after Aang yesterday. Once we get some real food I'll feel better."

Not a complete lie, and I could tell Toph was trying hard to detect for any dishonesty. She sighed though, nodding to the group that I was telling the truth. Zuko wasn't convinced at all, and neither was my sister. However they decided not to dwell on it seeing that I didn't want anymore attention on me.

When we got into town eventually, I could sense it was eating Zuko alive that I wouldn't tell him what was on my mind. While we walked around the busy bustling town I tried to push the thoughts behind and take in the new area around me with enthusiasm. I wanted to cover up my worries to calm Zuko's concerns.

The shops around us were made out of fine wood that had black, red, and gold paint decorating the roof tiles and siding. People around us wore vibrant colors of red and gold, while the merchant men and women wore much more burgundy and brownish clothing. As we looked around, Sokka pulled out a bag of coins father had handed him right before we left to chase after Aang. The coins were taken from the vault of the ship we'd stolen.

A few of us bought something from the market to add to our outfits. Katara got a choker necklace to help fill the void of mom's, Sokka found a gold top knot clasp for his hair, Toph got a red and gold headband, and Zuko bought a new belt to carry his dual blades in. While the others made their purchases, I looked around at the Fire Nation citizens who walked by with curiosity..

Most of the men and women seemed carefree as they wandered around the marketplace, while others looked focused on a task they had at hand. Young children chased after one another while their parents scolded them for improper behavior. Surprisingly, the Fire Nation citizens around us weren't too different from the people of the Earth Kingdom or Water Tribe..

Maybe I _was_ overreacting and panicking too much about the future. Perhaps the Fire Nation's culture and customs weren't too different from my own.

Then again, what I was seeing wasn't palace life...

"Hey," Sokka nudged my elbow with his. "You want anything?"

His sudden nudge startled me, and I looked over to see the rest of the group was finishing up their browsing. Aang had a giant lump in his chest where Momo was hiding beneath his shirt. "No…" I answered, looking over at Sokka to respond. "I think I'm too hungry to shop."

Toph overheard and piped in. "Yeah! Let's go eat! I'm starving too."

Zuko spoke up. "There's some meat shops in the area. It's a delicacy here. I'm sure we can find one pretty fast."

Katara quickly asked one of the merchants where we could grab some grub, and the lady pointed us in the direction of a shop. When we got to the place, Aang commented that he'd eat later seeing that they had nothing besides fish, pork, and beef. Leaving Aang outside, we all went in and Zuko helped us pick what we should eat. We were all thankful to have him at that moment, because most of the cooked meat on display looked to be covered in spices galore. After we chose our food, and Sokka paid for our purchase, we headed back outside to return to Aang. However, when we got outside we were all horrified to find he wasn't where we left him.

Katara quickly turned to panic. "Hey! Where'd Aang go?!"

Sokka, who was already chowing down on his beef kabobs, shrugged and answered with his mouth full, "Don worr. He show um some ti."

"Sokka!" Katara snapped. "What did I say about talking with your mouth full?!"

Zuko sighed heavily. "Let's eat and then we'll fan out to find him. He couldn't have gotten far."

After we ate our food, we all did just that. The group split up to go find Aang, with Katara and Sokka heading off one way and Toph, Zuko, and I going another. We'd all agreed to meet back up at the cave in an hour.

Toph shook her head with her arms crossed. "Where could Twinkletoes have gone?"

I answered softly, "You know Aang… He likes to explore. I'm sure he's fine."

Zuko looked around the area as we walked by different men and women going about their business. "We tell him to keep a low profile, and the kid can't sit still for five minutes."

"You shouldn't be surprised," Toph stated. "If he sat still you would've captured him months ago."

He went to argue, but then he realized she was right.

After an hour of searching for Aang, we decided the best thing we could do was just go back to the cave and hope the others found him. When we got back though, the only soul at the cave was Appa who was munching on some hay. As Toph muttered something about taking a nap, Zuko grabbed my arm before we headed into the cave.

"Hey… Can we talk?"

His question didn't surprise me. I knew he was still worried about my mannerism and that he wanted to get to the bottom of it. I nodded with defeat and followed him down the rocky bank toward the water. He stopped at the the edge of a boulder that jutted out over the water and sat on the ledge letting his feet hang. I stepped over and sat beside him letting the sound of the waves hitting the stone below fill the silence between us. As we sat, I kept my gaze from his knowing that if I looked into his prodding eyes I'd feel guilt and spill everything.

"I think I figured it out…" He began. "It took me a little bit, but I recalled the events from this morning and finally understand." He let out a deep sigh. "This is about becoming my wife when I'm Fire Lord… Isn't it?"

The fact that he figured it out didn't surprise me. It was more so that he seemed calm about it.

I didn't see a point in keeping quiet anymore. "Yeah…"

We sat for a moment in silence as Zuko tried to gather his thoughts. Then he let out a heavy breath. "You don't want to marry me?"

I frowned, shaking my head. "You know that isn't it…" I finally met his gaze and did all I could not to cry. " I love you, Zuko… I can't imagine being with anyone but you in the future." My stomach twisted suddenly and I dropped my gaze once more. "It's just…" I swallowed and cupped my hands together anxiously. "I… I'm not the most ideal future Fire Lady… When we defeat your father, and you take the throne, you'll be prepared to rule the Fire Nation and help restore the world. You have the strength and passion of a leader like your ancestors before you. And you were born a Prince so being Fire Lord is your birthright…" I paused. "You're handsome, brave, wise, and strong… All of the qualities one would look for in a Fire Lord... But me…" I sighed as my confession came out. "I'm just the daughter of a small village chief, who not even a year ago had never stepped foot off her snowy shore. All I know how to do is household chores and basic waterbending. I know nothing about the Fire Nation, let alone how to be the Fire Lord's wife. What if I screw up and make a fool of the both of us? What if people don't take you seriously because your wife is some scarred up freak from the-"

"Stop!" Zuko's order cut my words off. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. His amber orbes burned into my gaze as he spoke with sincerity. "Don't ever call yourself that again." Tears threatened to spill when I saw the pain and frustration on his face. "You're _not_ a freak. Why would you even think that?"

I grabbed his hand to try and look away. He wouldn't have it, so I shut my eyes instead. "There's no way I can be the Fire Lord's wife when I look like this... Your mother was beautiful and flawless compared to me... I don't want to embarrass you…"

"Embarrass me…" He released my chin, and I dropped my head. "You're not the only one with a scar. How is my scar different from yours?"

"It is different… Your scar symbolizes your strength and determination… You received it by going up against your father for something you knew in your heart was wrong and needed to be stopped. You were brave and compassionate towards your people, and your father burned you for defying his immoral acts." I took in a heavy breath. "But my scars… They're painful memories of the past and reminders of my inability to protect the ones I love. After my mother died, those who saw my face would look away at the sight. My father… Gran Gran… Even Sokka and Katara, although they try to hide it… No matter what, I'll always be a painful reflection of the death and pain this war has caused…"

A silence fell between us again, and I kept my eyes shut too scared to see Zuko's reaction. After a moment, he spoke softly.

"You're wrong…" I looked at him with question. He stared out at the horizon with intensity and clenched fists. "When I first met you your scar wasn't a sign of weakness to me. It was a symbol of survival. Even as I got to know you and learned more about your past, the only thing I think of when I see your scars is your sacrifice. You tried to save your mom from a group of armored men, and you were willing to fight against Azula back in Ba Sing Se to save Katara and I." He sighed heavily. "You're not weak. You have as much bravery and compassion as any soldier I've met, Crys."

I let his words sink as I looked down at the sea below.

"And if you think your scar makes you any less beautiful then clearly you never notice all the guys we walk by who oogle over you."

I blushed. "Areto doesn't co-"

"Areto isn't the problem. Your brother was right earlier to be so worried about you and your sister… A lot of the men we walked by today couldn't help but steal a glance at the two of you." Zuko shook his head. "I think the only person struggling to look past your scars right now is you though… You once told me long ago that you barely think of the scar on my face. Well I'm the same way with yours." He brushed a strand of hair back behind my ear to reveal my marked skin completely as I met his gaze. "All I see is the beautiful daughter of a Chief, and the girl I want by my side for the rest of my life."

I felt my heart warm at his sincerity.

"Please stop tearing yourself up and feeling like you need to change yourself for me." He pressed his forehead to my own. "I'm not here just because of my great-grandfather you know… I want to be with you."

"I know…" I spoke softly, feeling a tear escape."I'm sorry, Zuko… I shouldn't have gotten so worried. Talking about it this morning just made everything seem so real."

He put an arm around my shoulders suddenly and pulled me to his chest. I let my head rest against him enjoying his comfort. "I know it was a lot to ask…" He whispered. "We don't have to worry about any of that right now though. Let's just focus on winning… When the time comes then we'll face this again. But we'll face it together."

"Yeah…" I smiled weakly. "I'd like that."

A moment of silence passed between us again, and then I stated, "By the way… I didn't get to tell you earlier, but I think you chose a good outfit. It suits you."

I could only imagine he was blushing as he held me closer. "You should've heard your brother though. He said I looked like someone from the circus because of my shoes."

I smiled. "He just likes to mess with you. You and him have a lot in common, so it's easy to do."

After spending a few more minutes to ourselves, talking like we did back in the old days when it was just us and Iroh, we decided to head back to the hideout. Once we arrived back at the cave, we found Sokka and Katara had returned and both looked frustrated.

"Let me guess… No Aang?"

Katara looked up from where she sat against the cave wall, surprised to hear the question had come from me. She saw Zuko and I had returned together, and became curious. "You seem to be in a better mood?"

I gave a small smile. "Zuko and I had a nice chat."

She pouted. "You were supposed to come to me with your problems."

"Sorry… Next time, sis."

"I tell you what," Sokka interrupted. He paced back and forth anxiously. "If that kid doesn't come back soon I'm going to lose my cool!" I knew what he really meant was he'd be worried sick, but Sokka wasn't great at confessing stuff like that.

"Momo's with him," I stated. "I'm sure he's fine. You all know Aang. He likes to explore. He'll be back."

Toph muttered something from where she was lying back against her bag.

"What was that, Toph?" Sokka stepped over with his arms crossed.

She opened her clouded eyes with narrowed brows. "I said stop pacing because you're ruining my beauty sleep!"

He scoffed. "Since when do you need beauty sleep. I can pace anywhere I-"

Toph dropped her palm to the earth and Sokka tripped from the sudden lifted ground as he took another step in his pace. He stumbled forward right into Zuko, and they both tumbled onto the cave floor. As they struggled against one another to get back to their feet, snapping at Toph as they did so, Sokka's new headpiece got stuck on Zuko's shirt.

Katara burst into laughter and I laughed too as Zuko snapped at Sokka to get off. Eventually I stepped over to help them break loose, and once they were free Sokka went back over to Toph to scold her. Zuko dusted himself off but couldn't help but smile at the interaction between Toph and Sokka. Toph was blatantly ignoring Sokka as he scolded her, and it was indeed entertaining.

When the sun started to set a few hours later, we all debated going back into to town to search for Aang again. However, he arrived as we planned our search and we all were relieved to see he and Momo were alright. However, from the light of the fire I was bewildered to see his clothes were covered in ash.

"Where have you been?" Katara jumped up from her seat by the fire Zuko helped us make. "We've been worried sick!"

Aang smiled widely. "I got invited to play with some kids after school."

I was stunned by his statement, and looked over at him from where I sat by Zuko. "School?"

Sokka was horrified and got to his feet stepping over to Aang. "What?!"

Aang grinned. "I enrolled in a Fire Nation school, and I'm going back tomorrow."

Sokka cried in horror, "Enrolled in what?!"

Zuko shook his head in disbelief. "What are you thinking? Being surrounded by a bunch of Fire Nation kids is a terrible plan, Aang."

Aang shook his head. "No it isn't. None of them suspect me. They just think I'm a kid from the colonies. And better yet, I'm learning so much about the Fire Nation. You told me that it's important I learn about the Fire Nation before I start firebending, Zuko. Well here's my chance to get an up close first-hand look!"

Katara commented, "I don't see an issue. If he made it all day without getting discovered then one more day can't hurt."

Looking back at the fire, I shook my head. "I don't know about this Aang… We shouldn't stay in one place too long."

Toph, who chewed on some jerky, agreed. "Yeah. I don't like the idea of being in this cave another day. We should move on."

Aang protested. "You guys! This is a once in a lifetime chance!"

Sokka let out a deep breath. "Aang, I'm trying to be mature and not immediately shoot down your idea. But it sounds...really terrible."

Toph added, "Yeah, we got our outfits. What do you need to go to school for?"

Aang explained, "Every minute I'm in that classroom, I'm learning new things about the fire nation. I already have a picture of Fire Lord Ozai." He suddenly pulled something from inside his shirt out for us to see. Momo, who was on his shoulder, looked at the picture with wide eyes. "And here's one that I made out of noodles!" His art piece on a thin parchment had pasted on dry noodles of an older male form.

Sokka examined the work curiously. " Impressive, I admit. But I still think it's too dangerous."

Aang looked away deviously. "I guess we'll never find out about the secret river then. It goes right to the Fire Lord's palace. We were supposed to learn about it in class tomorrow…"

I looked over at Zuko, who shook his head in disbelief.

"Aang…" he began. "You do realize I lived at the palace. Your argument is invalid. I can tell you all about this _secret_ river you speak of."

Sokka tapped his chin. "Hmm... I am a fan of secret rivers. I'll have to discuss that one with you Zuko."

"Crystal! You have my back, right?!" Aang looked over at me with plea.

I went to argue again, but stopped as I recalled everything Aang had told me a while back about his life before meeting us. Despite being frozen in an iceberg for a hundred years, he was forced to isolate himself from kids his age back when he was training with the monks. Aang had been forced to grow up too fast.

As I stared at his ridiculous work of art that he still held in his hands, I smiled weakly meeting his gaze, "Okay, Aang… As long as you keep a low profile, then I'm fine with it."

Toph scoffed. "He doesn't know how to keep a low profile."

The others decided if I was giving in then they didn't feel like arguing anymore. The next day Aang went back to school, leaving Momo with us this time so he wouldn't get in trouble. As he was gone, Katara and I practiced waterbending together while Toph was entertained by Sokka and Zuko's sword training.

While I practiced my bending, I finally confessed to Katara what had been bothering me so much the other day. She reassured me just as Zuko had that I was being too hard on myself, and I'd make a great future Fire Lady. She also told me that she couldn't imagine me marrying anyone else in the future apart from Zuko. She scolded me for putting myself down because of my scar, stating that Zuko wouldn't have given up going home if he didn't love me for both my beauty and heart. Her words were encouraging and reassuring.

Later that night Aang got back looking slightly embarrassed. When we inquired what was wrong with him, he answered that he needed someone to pass as his parents because he got in trouble with his teacher. My brother and sister were feeling quite adventurous so they put on some disguises to pass as Aang's mom and dad. As they prepared themselves for the parent-teacher meeting, Zuko and I both agreed that their disguises looked ridiculous. Sokka used some of Appa's fur for a beard, while Katara shoved a small sheet inside her trousers to make herself look pregnant. Toph was amused by the whole thing, and even helped Sokka practice his fatherly tone.

An hour later, the trio returned from their meeting with Aang's teacher looking pretty satisfied. When Zuko inquired to how it had gone, Sokka joked around and kept his fatherly role going. "This young whippersnapper is in a lot of trouble! I have half a mind to bend him over my knee."

Zuko appeared amused. "I'd like to see you try and punish the Avatar."

Sokka accepted the challenge. In his fatherly mocking tone, he snapped at Aang, "That settles it. No more school for you young man!"

Aang pouted. "I'm not ready to leave. I'm having fun for once, just being a normal kid. You don't know what it's like, Sokka. You get to be normal all the time!"

Toph smirked. "Ha, ha. Sokka normal? Only in your dreams Aang."

Aang spoke again. "Listen, guys, those kids at school are the future of the Fire Nation. If we wanna change this place for the better, we need to show them a little taste of freedom."

Sokka crossed his arms, returning to his normal voice. "What could you possibly do for a country of depraved little fire monsters?"

Zuko scowled. "Hey! Watch it Sokka." I put my hand on his shoulder to calm him, seeing he didn't like his people being generalized as monsters.

Sokka looked apologetic. "Sorry, Zuko. I'm working on it…"

Aang broke in to calm the tension. " I'm gonna throw them…" He did a strange movement with his feet. "...a secret dance party!"

My jaw dropped, as did the rest of us.

Sokka cried out both in play and sincerity, "Go to your room!"

Katara shook her head. "That's not a good idea Aang."

"Well…" Aang grimaced. "I kind of already told everyone where we're meeting, and they said they'll definitely come."

Toph groaned. Sokka looked horrified. Katara covered her eyes in disbelief. Zuko snapped at Aang for being insane. I jumped in asking him where the party was exactly.

"I gave them directions here."

"Here?!" Zuko smacked his forehead. "Aang! That's a horrible idea!"

He held his hands up in defense. "It will be fine guys! No one knows we're not Fire Nation, and it will be for just a few hours. These kids deserve some fun too, and it will be a chance for all of us to learn about the next generation of the Fire Nation."

Katara sighed in defeat. "Fine Aang… I'll go get some candles from town…"

About an hour later we were preparing for the guests that were soon to arrive at our humble cave. Toph had made smooth raised surfaces to place the candles Katara had purchased around the cave. Zuko lit them in disbelief, while Sokka (who was still wearing his father disguise) muttered from where he arranged a few more, "I can't believe we're having a dance party. It seems so... silly."

Aang smiled, "Don't think of it as a dance party, but as a cultural event celebrating the art of fancy footwork."

I rolled my eyes and looked over at Zuko as I fixed the bowls position where I'd put some freshly squeezed moon-apple juice. "So a dance party," I commented.

Zuko nodded, shaking his head in disbelief as he watched Aang do a ridiculous dance again.

Toph gasped as she finished setting up the last lift for the musicians Aang said were coming. "They're coming! Everyone stop bending!"

Aang stepped over to Appa who had been observing our cleaning frenzy with curiosity. "Sorry buddy. You should probably wait out back." Appa grumbled as he stood and went to the back of the tunnel where the opening was that Toph created. Appa hadn't done well with caves and dark places since he was kept underground by Long Feng and his awful crew. I didn't blame him. I hated dark enclosed places too after that experience.

A few moments later the cave was completely crowded by children from the school Aang had been attending. They were all wearing the same outfit Aang wore helping me I understand why the guards had forced him to school the other day in the first place. He looked the part. Music started to play from the small band that had gathered, and the children huddled together with uncertainty.

A young boy around Aang's age stepped forward with uncertainty. "Now what do we do?"

Aang stepped over to him and did a little move. "This is when you start dancing."

As Aang tried to encourage the kids to dance, the rest of us sat on a makeshift stone bench that Toph constructed. Zuko had thrown his hood up to hide his face in case any of the kids in the dim cave somehow knew him. While Aang showed a bunch of crazy dance moves to the kids, Zuko stated to the rest of us, "I'm not sure what era these dance moves are from, but they definitely aren't moves of today."

I smirked. "This is coming from the same guy that refused to dance with me back on the ship during music nights."

He scoffed. "I wasn't going to dance to those ridiculous sea shanties. Besides, I was taught more on ballroom dancing than anything else."

Sokka leaned past me to speak to Zuko. "Aw… I think your just embarrassed to dance in front of people prince boy."

Zuko glowered at him. "I don't see you dancing, Sokka." He then turned smug. "Why don't you and Toph hit the dance floor and show us how it's done."

"Nice try Sparky, but this blind chick don't do anything with her feet she don't want to do," Toph muttered. She then leaned back asking,"What about you though Princess? You're a singer, so there should be some rhythm in your steps."

I blushed, while Katara smirked. "You know… Crystal always danced better than Sokka and I. Why don't you head out there and show them what you can do?"

Her suggestion made me grimace. "No thanks. Last thing I want is to be out there where people can see me."

Sokka tried to nudge me forward. "Come on sis. Live a little. None of these kids have met you, so there's no need to worry about embarrassment."

I sat back and crossed my arms. "It has nothing to do with that."

"You do realize that when you marry Zuko you'll have to dance a lot with him?" Sokka stated. "What else would royalty do at parties? You'll be the center of the stage, so get used to getting out in the crowd."

His statement suddenly brought my insecurities back. Katara and Zuko knew such talk would affect me since they had both been informed about my uncertainties yesterday. Katara told Sokka to leave me alone, while Zuko squeezed my hand reassuringly. I smiled over at him the best I could, trying to show him I was okay. He didn't seem convinced.

"Want to go get some fresh air?" He whispered into my ear. I hadn't realized then how rigid I had become until I went to nod. He stood pulling me up with him as he held my hand. We both left the group to head to the back of the cave where Appa and Momo were chilling out. As we went, I heard Sokka ask, "Was it something I said?"

Toph responded, "When is it not?"

As we headed deep into the cave, we arrived at the area where Appa was moping by the new opening Toph had created a while ago. Momo was sleeping on the saddle, not bothered by the music that echoed around us from the main area we'd just come from.

"Don't worry about what your brother said, Crys… You won't have to dance at those events if you don't want to."

"Zuko… I'm okay," I promised, turning and taking both of his hands causing him to stop in his step. The moonlight shone around us lighting our figures in the dark as we stood near Appa. "I just know I'm going to have a lot to learn living in the Fire Nation with you when this war ends… But, I'll do my best… I'll try and learn as much as I can about your world. I'll try to make you proud."

"You don't have to try and make me proud…" He moved his hand to my face and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. Then he caressed my cheek with amusement. "Besides... I'm the one trying to make you proud right now… I wanted to tie Aang up and toss him on Appa when he told us about going to school and this dance party, but I behaved."

I shook my head. "No matter how hard you try, that kid will just keep getting himself into crazy situations."

The music- which had been fast and upbeat- slowed to a light melody suddenly. I was surprised by the sudden change of tune that echoed around us.

"Truth is..." I began, pulling his hand from my cheek with embarrassment. "I don't actually know ballroom dancing and stuff. The dances your crew taught me weren't exactly formal. If I were to dance at the palace, I'd have to get a dance tutor or something."

He grimaced. "Trust me… You don't want a dance tutor. I had one growing up and they are brutal." He took my hands suddenly and put them behind his back. I was surprised by his action and blushed. "Besides, dancing isn't the biggest part of social events in the Fire Nation. The focus is more on socializing and politics."

"Sounds boring," I commented, as Zuko put his hands behind my back as well and pulled me to his chest. As he held me to him, we swayed slightly to the music. I let my head rest against his chest as we were lost in the rhythm and our touch for a moment. After a few moments of silence and swaying, I confessed, "I actually don't mind this dance."

"Good… Because it's the only one I actually passed during my lessons as a kid."

His own confession made me laugh, and he laughed too.

When the song ended and a faster one began to play, we decided we'd danced enough and sat back against Appa who was still pouting that he was missing the fun. Momo curled up in my lap wanting a warmer place to lay, and Zuko pet him with me as we waited for the party to end. Surprisingly we didn't have to wait long. Not even ten minutes after we sat down, the music cut off abruptly. Zuko and I shared a look of uncertainty, and we stood quickly. Momo moved to my shoulder, not sure himself what was going on.

Only a moment later, the sound of crashing stone echoed around us and the others ran around the bend of the cave.

"Time to go!" Sokka shouted as he rushed up Appa's tail, while Toph, Katara, and Aang followed behind. Zuko, Momo, and I did the same not sure what was happening. Once we were all on Appa, Sokka shouted out the signature call and the giant flying sky-bison pounded his tail against the earth taking off out of the cave.

A minute later, once we were a safe distance from the cave we'd departed swiftly, I asked with question, "What on earth happened?"

Aang, who sat beside Katara with disappointment, answered, "Hide mouse-ratted us. He's that bully I told you about the other day… and he's a party pooper. The Headmaster and two guards showed up to end the party."

Katara sighed. "At least we got out thanks to your new friends, Aang." She then looked over at our brother with disbelief. "By the way… We're safe, Sokka. You can take off the moustache, now."

Sokka smirked from where he sat by Toph. "Oh, no, I can't. It's permanently glued to my skin." He stroked it playfully.

Zuko commented jokingly as he leaned back against the saddle beside me with his arms crossed, "I can burn it off to help."

Sokka was horrified and ripped it off quickly. "Nope! I'm good! All good." Katara laughed at him while I watched with amusement.

Toph spoke to Aang then. "Way to go, Dancypants. I think you really did help those kids. You taught them to be free."

Aang sighed. " I don't know. It was just a dance party, that's all."

Katara smiled. "Well, that was some dance party, Aang." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek causing him to blush in the moonlight.

Sokka clapped his hands slowly while using Aang's ridiculous outdated phrase, "Flamey-o, sir. Flame-ee-o." He then looked over at me and Zuko. "You two missed it by the way while you were having your lovers fest. I did myself a pretty sweet Camelephant Strut."

Toph coughed out a laugh. "Looked more like jumping on hot stones to me."

Zuko laughed at her description. "You know… I'd like a demonstration when we land. It could be enlightening."

Sokka crossed his arms with a huff. "You all laugh, but just wait. I'm going to out dance every one of you one of these days!"

"By all means," Toph begged. "Because I don't mind seeing _you_ make a fool of yourself Sokka."

Aang commented, "I saw you, Sokka. A little more lifting your feet and you'll be a pro like me in no time."

"You two should start a dance company once this war ends," I stated, finding all my insecurities and worries fade as I messed with my brother and Aang. I'd been in a lighthearted state since Zuko and I had danced. "You could call yourselves The Boomer-Aang Brothers. Maybe juggle some warrior clubs and boulders as an additional act."

Aang beamed with delight. "That would be a blast!"

Sokka scoffed. "She's teasing us Aang! Don't be so gullible!"

I smiled with satisfaction as Sokka listed all of the reasons why such an act would go terribly. The others listened in amusement at his rant. The distraction was perfect as Appa continued to fly west taking us closer and closer to the forthcoming battle ahead.


	49. Rotten Fruit

**Yikes! I am so ashamed for how long this chapter took. Writers block, work, and more writers block… i wish i could say i'll do better but I don't want to give false hope…**

 **Anyway…. Sorry for the wait everyone and thanks for reading! Also, just an early notice, but I'm going to switch up the order of the gangs journey through the Fire Nation so it might aggravate all of you die hard Avatar fans. I have an idea of how I want these next few chapters to go, and that involves moving the episode order around from the show. The plot will be the same for the most part. You'll understand what I mean soon in the future. You don't have to worry about it right now. For those who are curious though, the episode order in this work will go "The Painted Lady," "Sokka's Master," "The Avatar and the Fire Lord," "The Puppet Master," then "The Beach" and finally "The Runaway."**

* * *

 **Chapter 49: Rotten Fruit**

 **Third Person POV**

The dimly lit room was silent besides the crackle of the flames that rose on both sides of the raised platform where the Fire Lord's throne was. A guard stood at the bottom of the steps on both sides in silent alert, their eyes scanning the room for any danger. A middle-aged man with graying black hair and a sharp goatee sat on the throne, his gold eyes showing a deep darkness of malice and hate. His fists clenched the edge of the arms of his chairs as his thoughts ran wild. The red fire rose and fell with his breathing, and the other servants in the room holding water and food made no move to upset him.

The messenger before him shook with fear as the Fire Lord stared at him with irritation and impatience. The messenger was a lean frail old man in a dark robe, and he stayed on his knees with his eyes downcast in both fear of angering the man before him and of being disrespectful.

"Speak, Commander Yung," Fire Lord Ozai ordered, his voice echoing around the room with both authority and sternness. "I have a meeting soon with a very important councilman, so say what you need to."

The man nodded. "Yes sir… I apologize for intruding on your time, but you ordered that any suspicious activity be reported to you right away. It's Princess Azula... You've had my men watch her these last few weeks. The other night one of my spies saw your daughter speak to a man with a metal boot and strange tattoos. After interrogating the man when he left the palace, we have learned that your daughter is attempting to send out an assassin to kill the waterbender Admiral Zhao told you of before his death."

The Fire Lord's ears perked up at this, and he leaned forward in his chair with sudden interest and irritation. " _Really_ … My daughter is sending an assassin after the young waterbender my treacherous son is so fond of…" He sneered. "Even after I told her that I wanted that temptatious wretch alive!" Fire shot up towards the ceiling from his rage. He stood from his seat and stepped to the edge of the platform. "Keep your spies on my daughter for now. She clearly is not capable of being left to her own devices." He then asked, "Is the assassin you interrogated still here?"

Commander Yung nodded again. "Yes my lord. He is being detained by my men outside."

Ozai sneered. "Bring him in here at once."

His order caused the man to stand quickly, bow, and depart the room backwards. Once he was through the doors, the Fire Lord stepped back to his throne with a sudden fire building inside him. He'd heard about his son's feelings for the waterbender captured so long ago from the Southern Water Tribe. He knew of the affection that his son had for the girl, and he also knew that the girl was the reason his son turned on him. As much as he understood Azula's plan to kill the waterbender, he had other plans for punishing his son. He had given Zuko the chance to come home, and yet the banished prince had chosen to betray him and the throne for a poor Southern Water Tribe chief's daughter. Ozai knew the best way to get his son to come back to him was leverage, and that leverage would be the thing Zuko loved most.

The doors to the throne room opened once more, and the sound of metal clomping against the stone floor echoed around them. The Fire Lord remained in a perfect posture as he returned to his seat on the throne. He watched the tall brawny man with an eye tattoo and a metal boot step towards him, two armored men on both sides grasping his arms in case he tried anything. Fire Lord Ozai smirked at the plan running through his head.

"I have been informed that my daughter ordered for you to kill a waterbender known for a scar adorning her face." He kept a steady gaze on the man who had no respect to bow to him. He tried not to let it anger him. He needed this man to do his bidding. "I have a task for you that will make my daughter's forgotten. If you do this service for me then you will be handsomely rewarded. Fail however, and you will be punished."

The man did not speak, but his fists tightened as anger boiled inside him. He did not like to be ordered around, even if it was by the Fire Lord. He knew better than to argue though, especially when money was involved.

The Fire Lord could see he was on board, and he continued. "The waterbender you are meant to kill… Don't." He narrowed his eyes. "Instead, I want her brought to me. I don't care what method you go to in order to find and retrieve her. My son must be punished for his treachery, and I wish for that to be by my own hands. Of course, if my son intervenes do not kill him, but you may do what you must to get the girl away from him. I want to see what is so special about this Southern flower, and remind my son who is in charge of his _destiny_."

He grinned devilishly.

"Also, give my son a message for me... Tell him that if he wants to see her alive, he better come home with a well thought out apology for his treason."

The man nodded to let the Fire Lord know he would do his bidding. He ripped his arms from the two men restraining him, and turned leaving the throne room to begin his mission. Once he was gone, with the two men following to escort him out of the palace, the doors closed behind.

Ozai stared at the shut doors with resolve, speaking to himself with all the insanity he had. "No one turns against me without consequences, boy. You should've learned that three years ago when I banished you for your insolence and defiance. You're just as much a fool as your mother… She turned against me because of her affections toward someone else as well. She met her fate though, and so will you." He leaned back against the throne with a smirk. "I truly look forward to meeting the girl that holds your heart so, _my_ _son_."

 **Crystal POV**

"Eew!" I cringed at the polluted water that Appa was floating through. We'd landed in the river when the sun started to rise. Two days had passed since we'd taken off out of the cave after the dance party was stopped. Sokka was worried the Fire Nation would spot us the deeper we got into the territory of our enemy, so he found it best for us to stay low to the ground. "Why aren't we flying again? If we go high enough no one will see us. I feel like Appa's going to catch a disease from this awful liquid."

Aang, who seemed to have no problem floating in the water below, commented up to me, "It's not that bad. Just a little slimy."

I shook my head. "Aang… It's not even the correct color. Please get out."

Momo was chilling on Appa's tail watching Aang swim around, while Sokka used a makeshift fishing pole to try and catch us some lunch. Zuko looked around at the river in both disbelief and fury. "How can my father let our environment get like this? I know he has men stationed out in these parts. Someone had to have mentioned this river's condition by now!"

Toph scrunched her face up. "I don't know about you, but this place stinks. Unless that's just Sokka."

Sokka ignored her, stating, "I'm sure it's just the rivers lighting. Maybe it's supposed to be this dark in these parts of the Fire Nation. There could be a scientific reasoning behind it."

Aang suddenly ducked under and swam behind Appa's tail. "Momo!" He sunk again just as Momo went to look for him. He resurfaced back at the front of Appa. "Oh Momo!" He went under again, and this time he surfaced near Momo who chirped in excitement. "Ah! Ha ha, you found me, buddy."

"Aang! I'm serious! Get out of there before you turn a different color," I ordered.

Aang took my advice this time. Using waterbending, he managed to shoot himself up over Appa's saddle landing beside Katara. He was dripping gooey water from his clothes, and he smelled like one of the many cells I'd been thrown into during my time as a prisoner. "You know… I think you're right Crys. This river's polluted."

He suddenly bent the residual goop off of him, and we all gasped as it landed on each of us. He quickly shot air at us to help us dry off as well from the gross liquid.

Sokka pulled his fishing pole out of the water with a frown. " Well, that does explain why I can't catch a fish around here. Because normally my fishing skills are... off the hook! Get it? Like a fishing hook?

We all stared at him in disbelief, while Toph coughed out a laugh. "Too bad your skills aren't on the hook."

Katara, Zuko, and Aang laughed at the comment. I rolled my eyes, saying, "We should get back up in the air. This water isn't good for Appa to be in."

Katara nodded. "Well seeing as Sokka isn't getting a catch, it looks like we'll need to go somewhere else to get food." As she spoke, Sokka put the pole down and picked up a long scroll he'd made a schedule on. He said he needed something to keep track of our journey, so he managed to slip into a shop on the outskirts of a town yesterday and steal a piece with some ink. As Sokka examined his schedule, Katara looked irritated. "Assuming that'll fit into Sokka's master schedule."

He looked over his notes intently, while we watched him in disbelief. "Hm...it's doable. But that means only two potty breaks today!"

Toph scowled. "That's not even healthy, Sokka!"

Zuko sighed. "I'm sure we're close to a town in these parts. There are small settlements scattered all along this river."

"Like that one?" Aang pointed past us towards something in the distance. We followed his gesture and found a wooden town built in the center of the river on a wooden platform raised from the water below. The water of the river seemed to just sit and make no movements, and I knew a lot of that had to do with all the gunk and pollution clogging up the outlets. "Hey, maybe we can get food there."

I grimaced. "Is their food like the river, because if so I'll give you all my portion."

"Anything is better than nothing at all though," Katara stated.

A few moments later we got Appa out of the river onto a grassy bank. There was some brush that we managed to guide him behind where he would hopefully stay hidden from passing eyes. Once Appa was concealed from view, we started to head back towards the river where we hoped to find a place to cross. As we headed down the bank, I looked at the water with horror seeing dead fish and metal materials at the shallow parts. Scanning the area past the town, I quickly realized what was the cause of such disgust.

A giant metal factory was situated on the edge of a giant cliff, and black smoke (from the coal and chemicals they burned within the steel walls most likely) soared up to the air. I could only imagine more chemicals from the factory were being thrown into the water below from the pipes that ran through the place.

"What do you think their making over there?"

Zuko answered my question. "Weapons… Most of the factories in these parts provide ship parts, and other tools for war."

Aang shook his head. "No wonder the world's so out of balance. It's become a waste bucket."

"With all of the new inventions and transportation coming out, I have a feeling it will only get worse in the future," Zuko commented.

Sokka tapped his chin. "You know… It would be nice if we didn't have to travel on foot or in the air all the time. Maybe one day I can help design a small carriage that travels super fast on land by heat power! We could call it 'Sokka's Land Roamer' and sell a ton!"

Katara laughed. "That's ridiculous, Sokka! You have a crazy imagination."

He pouted. "It's possible. The Fire Nation made a giant metal drill! If they can do that I can make a smaller thingy to get me from one place to the other."

Toph snapped, "The only place I want to get to is the town across the water, and I'm _not_ swimming since I don't know how to."

My eyes scanned the bank, and I saw then a man standing by a boat that was tied to a wooden pier. "Maybe he can give us a ride across," I suggested.

Aang nodded with excitement, "Yeah! Let's ask!"

Eventually we approached the small dock where a very thin lanky man with a red hat and sleeveless open vest was preparing to set his boat out.

"Excuse me," Aang began. "But my friends and I were wondering if you could give us a ride?"

"Sure thing, youngin'! My name's Dock. Mind if I ask who you are?"

Katara quickly came up with a cover. "We're, um, from the Earth Kingdom colonies."

Dock eyed all of us for a moment with suspicion, but then shrugged and said, "Wow... colonials! Hop on! I'll give you a ride into town."

We decided to take his kind gesture, and each of us carefully stepped into the boat. Sokka and I helped Toph in, who I knew would hate not being able to see. As Dock began to steer us across the polluted river towards the town, my sister struck up conversation.

"Why do you guys live on the river?"

Dock answered with pride. "Because we're a fishing town. At least that's how it was before the factory moved in. Army makes their metal there. Moved in a few years ago and started gunking up our river. Now our little village is struggling to survive."

Zuko cringed. He'd put his hood up to conceal his identity in case anyone possibly recognized him. "That's terrible… Has the Fire Lord tried efforts to clean the place?"

Dock frowned and leaned forward. "Let me let you all in on a little secret since you six aren't from around here. This town was forgotten long ago by the Fire Lord and his men. If the army decides to, we'll be kicked out of these parts in the next few years. All some people know is this town…" He sighed, looking over at the place we were steadily approaching. "It would be tough for many of us to start over."

Eventually we arrived at the docks of the town and each of us managed to get out of the boat. As we started to walk through the small mildewed area, I held onto Toph's hand guiding her along the path that didn't knock her into the river. As I did so, she whined about being blind and useless.

Coughs, groans, and sneezes rang around us as we were surrounded by men, women, and children who looked deathly ill and impoverished. The place smelled like raw fish, and a bunch of other scents that made every one of us try not to breathe too much through our nose.

Katara hung her head as we continued to walk by a family with a pale crying baby in its mother's arms. "Look at this place. It's so sad. We have to do something to help."

Sokka shook his head sternly. "No, we can't waste our time here! We have a bigger mission that we need to stay focused on. These people are on their own!"

Katara stepped in front of all of us, stopping our steps abruptly. "These people are starving, but you turn your back on them?!" She pointed at Sokka's chest. "How can you be so cold and heartless?"

Sokka shoved her hand down. " I'm not turning my back, I'm just being realistic! We can't go around helping every rinky-dink town we wander into. We'll be helping them all by taking out the Fire Lord!"

Toph left my side and slapped her hand over Sokka's mouth. Sometimes her actions made me forget she was blind. "Hey, loudmouth! Maybe we should be a little quieter when we talk about taking out the Fire Lord," she hissed.

Sokka shoved her hand down, and then whispered, "Come on, Katara, be reasonable about this. You know our mission has to come first."

Zuko nodded. "Sokka's right… As much as I want to step in and help these people, the best thing to do is stop my father first. Once we do so and I take leadership, then I can stop the factory work and set efforts to clean this area as well as offer relief to the townspeople.

Katara frowned, and reluctantly muttered, "I guess so."

Stepping over to her, I placed a hand on her shoulder for comfort. "It's going to work out Katara… We'll help these people very soon."

Aang nodded, stating with dismay. "Let's just get what we need and go."

As the group started to walk off towards a small area of stalls, I felt a bony hand grab my wrist suddenly and jerk me back. Looking at the owner, I found an elderly man with chipped teeth and scabs on his bald head. He had been sitting nearby, but crawled over to us just as we were starting to walk.

"Suna!" He yanked me down so my face was close to his. "My daughter Suna! You've come back!"

I could see the man had lost all sense of reality, and whoever Suna was he believed I was her. I tried to pull again, but his grip tightened as tears fell down his sick ashen face.

"Just wait until your mother sees this! Oh Suna! My girl!"

"Sir…" I tried to bring him back. "I'm not Suna… You're making a mist-"

"Why did you leave us? Your mother held you for days! You shut your eyes… Your beautiful brown eyes… Oh, Suna. I knew you'd return!"

"Hey!" Sokka came in between us suddenly and managed to pry the man's hand from my wrist. "Back off!"

The man, who had been on his knees, dropped to his hands and sobbed. Another man, this one middle aged with a frail structure as well, rushed over to help the man. "Dad! What are you doing? Come back to bed." He looked up at my brother and I with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry… He hasn't been right since my mom and my sister died ten years ago." He frowned when he looked at me. "She was your age when she passed… He's confused."

"Toza! It's Suna!" His father cried out in a manic state, while my brother wrapped a protective arm around me and pulled me away. The group had stopped when they realized I was no longer with them, and Zuko was being held back by Katara as he tried to rescue me.

"You okay?" Sokka grabbed my hand and inspected my red wrist from where the man grabbed me.

Pulling my hand away, I said softly, "That man is in so much pain… Maybe Katara's right… Maybe we _should_ do something."

Sokka sighed. "No, Crys…" He grabbed my shoulders forcing me to look at him. "Just like I told Katara: there's nothing we can do even if we wanted to. These people need medicine and food, which are things we can't supply them with. You can help these people by ending the war and helping to shut down these factories. But the only way we can do that is by keeping our eye on the mission."

I hung my head in defeat, but didn't agree one bit.

We returned to the group then, everyone quickly asking if I was alright to which I gave a nod. As we continued toward the merchant stall that smelled odorous and gag worthy, I glanced back at the man who was being helped away by his son. They'd lost just as much as we had from the war, if not more. Even amongst the enemy, all I could see were people in desperate need of saving. We weren't just fighting for the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe. We were fighting for the Fire Nation as well.

Approaching the merchant square at last, we were surprised to see the man who had helped us into town was also running the fish stall. He wore a tan colored hat now, but was indeed the same man.

Sokka stepped up to the countertop and placed his elbow against the wooden table near a mutated fish head. Every fish on the counter looked like a disease waiting to happen. "Hey, Dock," my brother stated. "You work here too?"

Dock shook his head. "I'm not Dock, I'm Xu. Dock's my brother."

My eyes widened, while my brother stepped back in surprise and the others fell silent in baffled amazement.

Aang pointed at him. "But we just saw you. You're even wearing the same clothes. The only difference is your hat."

Dock shook his head again. "Dock works on the docks, that's why they call him 'Dock', and I work in the shop, that's why they call me 'Xu'.

Aang looked back at Zuko, who shook his head in disbelief. "I don't get it."

Dock gave a snort. "Me neither." He pulled out a crate filled with rancid grey seafood and set it down on the stall. "What can I getcha? Hey, I'll give you a special deal. If you buy three fish, I'll throw in a clam for free." When he pulled the clam out of the crate, all of us but Toph gasped at the sight of the weird ooze coming out.

Sokka cringed. "We'll just take the fish..." He pulled out a coin. "Mind telling your brother we need a ride back to shore?"

Dock ducked beneath the counter suddenly and then reappeared wearing his original red headgear. Aang grabbed my arm shaking it as if I didn't see the insanity with my own eyes.

"Hey, colonials. My brother says you need a lift."

As Katara collected the food Xu had wrapped up for us before turning back into Dock, the rest of us followed the man with two names back to the pier we'd just arrived at. Walking through the town again, I realized only a moment after we made our way back that Katara wasn't with us. Turning to look for her, I saw her a good ten yards back looking down-heartened as she carried the fish with her.

Slowing my pace, I got in step with her and placed my hand on her shoulder.

"We can't leave these people like this…" She muttered. "So many are sick and dying."

As the others continued behind Dock, I asked, "What could we do for them though?"

Katara glanced over at the factory sitting up on the cliff in the distance. She stopped walking and I followed. "I'm sure there's food being stored in the factory for the workers there… Maybe we could sneak in and take some. Just the amount where they won't notice their food has gone missing. I'm sure there's enough in there to feed a whole island."

I looked at the giant factory with uncertainty. "That's a risky move… And you know the others won't like it. Not to mention, Sokka will protest and stop you."

She sighed heavily, and then her eyes narrowed. "No. I don't care." She looked over at me. "I'm not going to sit by while people need me. I already did when mom was killed and when you were captured a few months ago. I won't do it anymore. I'm helping these people." She looked me straight on. "Are you going to help me, or not?"

I was stunned, and at first I wasn't sure how to respond. Then I smiled weakly. "Alright sis…" I squeezed her shoulder. "I'm with you."

Eventually we returned to Appa and Momo, set up camp, and listened to Sokka whine about his schedule and how we needed to leave in the morning. As Sokka whined, we sat by the campfire eating the fish. I didn't eat the odd looking thing, not really wanting to contract a crazy disease. Aang and I had both agreed to find some fruit to eat for our meals.

"Hey Aang…" Zuko threw his stick in the fire after he finished his meal, and looked over at the young boy across from him. "Why haven't you asked me to teach you firebending yet? I thought you'd be jumping at the shot."

Aang cringed, looking at the fire before him anxiously. "I don't think I'm ready… Toph still is teaching me earthbending, and I still need to master water-"

"Aang. You know that's not why," Katara interrupted. "You should be honest."

Aang frowned, and then met Zuko's gaze. "Okay… Truth is… Last time I tried to firebend I hurt Katara… I don't want to hurt anyone again. I thought maybe we could just firebend after this war is over and stuff. Besides… With the eclipse I won't even need fire to take down your father."

Zuko shook his head. "You can't let one bad experience stop you," Zuko tried. "Besides, you said it yourself a while back… The main reason you wanted me in the group was to have a firebending teacher."

Aang turned defensive. "I- I was just trying to convince everyone to let you join. I didn't mean that was the on-"

I spoke up this time. "Aang… If you don't get over your fear now, then you're never going to learn." He looked at me with surprise. "It took me years to get over my fear of swimming. If I hadn't accepted Zuko's help in learning though, I would've probably drowned numerous times these last few weeks. All you can do is try. If it's too much for you, then we can stop and try again later."

The group was bewildered by my words. Toph pursed her lips. "Wow… Who knew princess was such a motivational speaker."

Aang smiled weakly though, saying, "Yeah… I guess you're right, Crys." He stood and stepped over to Zuko. Zuko stood as well. "Please teach me the art of firebending, Prince Zuko," Aang said as he bowed in respect.

Zuko smiled. "I'd be honored to, Avatar." He bowed as well.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Sokka jumped up. "That is not on the schedule!"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "You can work it in."

As Zuko started to explain to Aang the basics of firebending without actually firebending, Katara and I started to devise our plan as we walked off alone in the woods. Katara knew we wouldn't be able to help the people in one night, and so she tried to formulate an excuse to keep us there longer. Sokka's schedule was locked and sealed, but we knew he would have no choice if something unforeseen happened to change the schedule. When Katara told me her idea of giving Appa a ton of berries to cause his tummy to ache so we'd have to stay, I gave her a big flat out no. There was no way I was letting her hurt Appa in anyway. Images of the desert shot through me, and I refused to let her put Appa through any more pain.

Instead, I offered my services. Katara protested at first when she heard my suggestion, saying I was insane. But when I promised her I would be fine in the end she reluctantly yielded.

Later that night, once everyone was asleep, Katara and I shoved some grass underneath our sleeping bags and headed down the hill to the river's edge. We both bent some discolored icy platforms and guided ourselves across the polluted water. Once we arrived at the base of the cliff where the factory hovered above, we lifted ourselves up to the factory above with our bending and landed right at the edge of the industry.

Cautiously, we made our way around the perimeter of the factory scoping out the night watch to get an idea of the best way in. Pipes and metal structures went in all directions around us, and smoke hovered over the night air from the previously moving machines.

After dodging a few guards, we managed to get into the factory through a side entrance and make our way through the dark halls that were lit by small torches. As silently as we could, hiding behind a pipe or crate from a guard when we needed to, we finally arrived at the area of the factory where the aroma of fresh fish and smoked meat filled our senses. Stepping into the large kitchen, we found crates and barrels full of fresh fish, poultry, clean fruit, and fine vegetables. Katara and I both filled the bags we'd brought with us up to the brim with a mixture of everything. Once our bags weighed half as much as we did, we headed back the way we came to leave the place before we got detected.

By luck we arrived back to the edge of the cliff, and Katara helped us back down the same way we'd gotten up. Once we were at the base of the cliff again, Katara bent an icy bridge before us and the two of us headed straight for the village. The light of the moon lit our path as we ghosted around the town delivering food to every household we could find. There were a few moments we feared detection, but luckily those who may have caught us from their sleepy states seemed to think they were just dreaming.

Once our bags were emptied, we both breathed a sigh of relief. After crossing the river once again, we arrived back on the bank a few yards from the others.

"Thank you," Katara said as we looked out across the river towards the dark town in the center. "I couldn't have done that without you."

"It was a great idea," I reassured. "Those people need help. We can't just turn our back on them because Sokka is blinded by his own plans."

She nodded. Then she looked uncertain. "Are you sure about this? I want to heal the townspeople, but if it means putting you at risk then I'm not so sure this-"

"I've been burned, starved, tortured, and even almost drowned. A little food poisoning isn't going to be the end of the world."

Katara didn't seem convinced. "You don't mind the consequences though? Zuko and Sokka will be mad at us if they learn the truth."

I smiled weakly. "I may lose some trust points, but if it means doing something for these people then I'm all for it. Plus, Appa's been through enough. I don't want him dragged into any of this. And there's never been a known case of this plant killing anyone. It just screws you up for a little while."

"Wow…" Katara looked at me with bewilderment. "You're insanity is actually pretty brave."

I wasn't sure how to take her compliment. Brushing it aside, I looked down at the ground suddenly uncertain. "You really think you can handle healing the townspeople tomorrow night on your own? There's a lot."

She nodded. "I can handle it... You just worry about getting better. Once we heal the villagers, I'll try and heal you if your still affected by it and we can go."

I nodded. "Okay…" Then I held my hand out. "I'm ready. Give it here."

She touched the pouch tied to her side hesitantly. When she saw the confidence in my gaze though, she nodded, and then handed over the small red Du fruit hesitantly. "Are you sure the book said you won't die from this?" She asked with sudden worry. "You read it a while ago..."

Du's were small red fruit native to the Fire Nation. While the juice inside was safe to drink, the actual skin of the plant itself caused fever-like side effects. From books I'd read during my time on Zuko's ship, I knew the side effects would last less than 48 hours, and they would be brutal. The description listed effects such as intense nausea, hallucinations, rashes, and fevers. I was in for it, but I was willing to give Katara more time.

"It will be fine… The chef back on Zuko's ship told me what happened when he ate this plant. It's gonna suck, but I'll live. Just remember our cover story."

She hugged me suddenly, and I was surprised by her action. "I owe you for this, Crys. I won't let you down."

When she pulled away, I said softly, "I know you won't..." Looking down at the fruit then, I muttered, "Welp… Here goes nothing." Taking a bite of the fruit, the tangy taste was actually delicious for being such an inedible plant.

"How do you feel?" Katara appeared anxious immediately.

I sighed as I stared at the bitten into fruit. As long as I didn't consume the whole thing, the effects wouldn't be too unbearable. "I told you… It takes about an hour… Try to get some sleep… Don't worry about me."

A little over an hour later, as I lied on my sleeping bag dreading what was to come, I suddenly felt the worst twist in my gut. A gasp escaped me as I curled up from discomfort, and I shut my eyes as my body heat started to rise. I really hoped Katara and I were doing the right thing, because my part in saving this town was going to suck.

 **Third Person POV**

Morning broke over the mountains shooting a golden light over the green river. Sokka walked around the campsite nudging everyone with his foot. "Wakey wakey! Rise and shine! Time to hit the river! Appa's all packed and ready!" Katara groaned when he nudged her in the side. Toph scowled and rolled back over. Aang whined and sat up in defeat. Zuko, who had already been awake and helping Sokka pack up, shook his head in disbelief.

Arriving to the last person of the group, Sokka grabbed a twig and poked his twin sister in the shoulder as she lay with her back to him. "Crys. Wake up time. Hurry before I get Zuko to help me toss you in the river."

She made no move, and he smirked. "Come on sis… Beauty-rest is over." He crouched beside her and grabbed her shoulder to shake her awake. However, he was stunned when his hand met boiling skin instead of the natural temperature his sister usually was.

"Crystal?" He shook her quickly, while the others got up from their mats. Katara noticed Sokka had turned worried, and she tried her best not feel awful about what she allowed her sister to do for her. "Hey! Crys!" He shook her again, and this time a groan sounded from her. Only the groan was weak and pained.

Worried, Sokka turned her over on her back and was horrified. Her neck was red from a rash and sweat fell from her forehead as she fought a fever. "Oh man! You've got to be kidding!"

"Sokka? What's wrong?" Aang walked over, and this his eyes widened when he saw Crystal. "Oh man! I knew that fish smelled funny yesterday!"

Toph, who could sense Crystal's heartbeat was irregular, stated, "She didn't eat the fish bimbo… She said she was going to find some fruit."

At this point Zuko understood what was going on, and he rushed over to Crystal as Sokka tried to shake her awake. Zuko shoved Sokka's hand off, and pressed his own to her forehead. "She's burning up! What did she eat last night?"

Katara quickly told them the tale her and Crystal fabricated last night. "Oh no… I… I thought that plant was safe. Crystal and I weren't sure, but I picked a fruit yesterday when we left you all at the fire and gave it to her. She ate it… I… I didn't know."

Zuko gasped. "What plant? Show me!"

Katara wasn't surprised by Zuko's order. She was surprised when he grabbed her shoulders and shook her. Katara quickly led Zuko and Aang through the woods to the area where Crystal had pointed out the Du bush to her. Crystal had been able to identify them right off, and from the books Zuko had read with her he was able to identify it as well.

"This is a Du bush! Why didn't you ask me before you let her eat it?!" He looked at Katara with horror. "Everyone in the Fire Nation is taught to avoid these."

Katara tried to pretend she didn't know the side effects. "Is it going to kill her?"

Zuko tried to calm, while Aang placed a comforting hand on Katara's arm. "No…" Zuko ran a hand through his hair. "She's just going to have a rough next two days. The fever and rash is only step one. She'll be hallucinating soon."

Aang was horrified. "Is there a cure?"

Zuko shook his head. "I don't know. I'm not familiar with medicine and stuff. All I know is she's going to get better, but only if we don't move her. She needs to let her body fight off the toxins."

They returned to the campsite then and weren't surprised to see Sokka still in a panic. Aang quickly told him and Toph what happened, and Sokka stated that they needed to go into town right away and see about medicine. Katara jumped at the idea, to which Toph noted the unusual calm coming from Katara as she silently observed from where she stood. She was surprised that even in the state Crystal was in, Katara seemed to be cool and collected physically.

"Okay… Zuko and Toph, stay with Crystal until we get back. The rest of us will go back into town." Sokka sighed heavily. "This is totally going to throw us off schedule!"

Zuko shook his head and snapped, "Is that really all your concerned about right now?"

Sokka scowled. "Of course not! I was just making a statement." Sokka then turned to Katara. "What were you two thinking, eating foreign plants like that? Are you crazy?"

Katara grimaced. "It looked edible."

"So did that cactus juice I drink in the desert, and I hallucinated for hours!"

Katara snapped, "That's different!"

"How so?!"

"Stop!" Aang stepped in between Sokka and Katara quickly. "This isn't helping anyone!" Katara and Sokka stepped back crossing their arms at one another. "Let's go to town," Aang suggested. "Zuko and Toph can stay back and look after Crys. If what Zuko says is true, this will pass."

Sokka sighed heavily. "Fine… Come on."

 **Crystal POV**

My whole body burned and my insides felt like an endless prodding of pins and needles. I could hear everything happening, even as my brother tried to stir me awake earlier. My body refused to move though, because every movement only made the pain worse. The chef hadn't lied about the effects. They sucked.

Gritting my teeth, I tried to picture a tummy ache free Appa in my head to remind myself why I chose to be the reason for stalling our trip. Appa had been through enough. The last thing he needed was Katara shoving a ton of berries down his throat to make him sick.

After a moment, I managed to get slight control of my body back. Opening my eyes, I saw through a blurred haze Zuko was standing by a pot boiling some water. Toph sat beside me chewing on a piece of straw. When she sensed I was awake, she spoke so only I could hear.

"Alright Princess… I know you're smarter than this. What are you and Katara up to?"

I cringed as a spasm shot through my chest. "We had to…" I spoke in between breaths. "Sokka… His schedule… We needed more time."

Toph was surprised. "What? Time for what?"

"Katara… She wanted to help…" I grimaced from another spasm. "Appa… I had to…"

"You're not making a lick of sense…" Toph muttered. "But what I'm getting is that you eating that fruit was intentional."

I opened my eyes weakly, and looked at her through a blurry mess. "Don't tell… Please…"

Silence fell between us for a moment, and I shut my eyes in exhaustion as heat raced through me. She finally spoke though. "I won't… But don't pull a stupid stunt like this again. There are other ways to stall the group. Got it?"

I nodded as my body grew heavy again. "Yes…"

"I can't believe Katara even let you do this… Why were you the one who got the rough end of the deal?"

It took me a moment to get my thoughts straight. My words came out with much effort. "She's the better bender… She always has been…"

"Is she awake?" Zuko's voice sounded through my foggy brain.

Toph answered, "Yeah. Awake and sputtering nonsense." She added, "How long did you say these effects would last?"

"Another day give or take. The fever has reached its peak, so she's probably starting to hallucinate."

I grit my teeth as another sharp pain shot through my stomach. Then with a haggard breath I promised, "I'm perfectly sane…"

Toph scoffed. "That can be debated."

"Crys. What were you thinking eating that? You should've asked me first!" Zuko's concern made me fill with guilt.

"Sorry," I spoke softly. "I… I didn't…"

My voice faded as my mind became a blur. Then when my mind became a blur, I completely blacked out.

At some point I regained my consciousness, and started to get feeling back in my body. As if my body were moving on its own, I opened my eyes and found myself in a dark room with a dim light. Upon further inspection, I was horrified to find that I was in a cell that resembled the one back on Zuko's ship so long ago.

Sitting up from where I was lying on the cot, I moved my body off the floor and rushed up to the cell door. Grabbing at the bars, I tried to pull the metal from its lock but it was stuck tight. I attempted to cry out to my family or Zuko, confused to what was occurring, but for some reason my voice made no sound. A chill ran through me, and my heart raced in fear.

Just as I went to try the cell door again, the briggs only entrance opened and heavy boots entered the room I was in. My eyes shot to the entrance as I tried to see who was coming towards me. The dim light from one burning torch barely made the approaching form recognizable. However, I was terrified of the figure approaching knowing immediately it was not my family. What happened? Where was everyone? How long had I been unconscious?

"It's been too long," a cold voice hissed, and my eyes widened as I stood face to face with someone I thought I'd never see again.

Zhao stood before me, his malicious gold eyes burning into my own.

"Prince Zuko's prize…" He stepped up to the cell. "Soon to be the Fire Lord's new water nymph."

I gasped, finally finding my voice. "Zuko… No… I was just with him…"

Zhao smirked, his baboon face looking just the same as when I saw him dragged into the water so long ago. "Were you?" He stepped forward. "Because all I remember is finding you in the woods, all alone."

I shook my head, backing to the wall as far from him as I could. "No…" I shut my eyes. Grabbing my hair, I cried, "This can't be! Your dead! You were drowned!"

"Was I? Is my presence not proof enough." The sound of keys clinking against the metal made my heart speed up with horror. Opening my eyes, I watched as he unlocked the door and stepped inside. "You didn't really think you'd get away with everything you caused me to lose that day. You should've known I'd find you and reclaim my prize. The Fire Lord will be pleased when I bring you to him."

I shook my head, searching for an outlet. "This doesn't make sense. You shouldn't be here." I shut my eyes again. I tried to recall the events from before, and remembered the fruit Katara had handed me. A hallucination… This was a hallucination. That was one of the side effects of the…

 _What berry was it again? Was it a berry?_

 _No!_

I recalled the Du fruit I'd consumed. Looking up at Zhao, I snapped, "You're not real!"

He grinned. "Am I not?" He stepped forward and grabbed the collar of the brown shirt I wore.

 _Brown? No.. It had been red..._

"If I'm not real, then this shouldn't hurt." His fist suddenly punched into my gut, and I gasped as I doubled over in blinding pain. Sweat immediately trickled down my forehead, and my breathing became labored. Zhao knelt beside me, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look up at him. "What do you say? Am I real now?"

I gasped in horror and shut my eyes.

 _No! No! Please spirits! No!_

"No!" I tried to push him off by shoving at his chest, and he grabbed my arms restraining them. "No! Let go of me!" I tried to shake him off, feeling more tears run down my cheeks. "Zuko! Sokka!"

He laughed in my ear. "No one is coming for you!"

I shook my head. "Katara! Sokka!" I tried to fight him again, only to have Zhao shove me down and pin me to the floor. "No! Zuko!"

 **Third Person PO** V

The small boat pulled up to the river bank, and Sokka helped Katara off while Aang followed behind. As Dock waved and pushed himself off the bank back onto the river, the trio started to head back to camp.

"A Painted Lady, huh?" Sokka shook his head. "Just a load of superstitious nonsense." He crossed his arms. "She gets food, but what good is that when everyone is sick and dying."

Katara scowled. "At least this mysterious being is doing something. Unlike us who just keep going into town and buying their food."

Aang sighed. "I just wish there was something that could help Crystal. You'd think an antidote for the Du's effects would've been concocted by now."

At the thought of Crystal, Sokka pinched the bridge of his nose in disbelief. "I can't believe this happened. She's already been through enough. Now she has to deal with food poisoning."

Katara felt a wave of guilt, knowing it was all her doing. She rubbed her neck in shame, then realized what she was doing and dropped her hand before the others grew suspicious.

"Zuko said the effects will wear off by tomorrow though, so she'll be fine. You all got super sick too that time right after the storm, and you ended up okay." Aang smiled. "She just needs rest and some Momo snuggles."

A few moments later the group headed up the hill towards where they were camped behind some forestry. Not even making it halfway up the hill, they were stunned when they heard shouts.

"No!" A cry from Crystal rang in their ears, followed a moment later by Zuko shouting, "Stop! It's okay! It's not real!"

Sokka gasped and took off up the hill, followed only a moment later by the others. When they arrived at the campsite they found Momo sitting on Toph's shoulder with wide eyes, while Toph held a composure of great concern. Zuko knelt over Crystal from where she lay on her sleeping bag, pinning her shaking body down as she wildly shook her head. Everyone knew right away the hallucinations had begun.

"Katara! Can't you do something with that magical water of yours?" Sokka grabbed his youngest sister's shoulder desperately.

Katara shook her head, knowing even if that had been the plan she wouldn't be able to heal her. Crystal had to fight this one off herself. As Sokka stepped forward to aid Zuko, who received a hit in the face with Crystal's fighting spirit and thrashing hands, Katara hung back with disbelief. She had been thrilled that she could help the village another night, but she hated seeing the terrible effects of the Du plant her sister willingly consumed.

"Hang in there, Crys… It's almost over…"

 **Crystal POV**

"LET GO!" I thrashed and kicked as Zhao pinned me to the ground. Shutting my eyes, I wanted more than anything for the nightmare to end. The weight above me was relentless. "Get off of me!"

His familiar laughter echoed through my ears. "You and Zuko were foolish to think I wouldn't come back. I know there's always been a part of you that feared I'd return."

"You haven't returned! You're dead! I just need to wake up! This isn't real!"

"You think so," Azula's voice suddenly hissed. "Because I'm very real."

Opening my eyes wide, I found I was no longer under the weight of Zhao. Instead, Azula pinned me down. What…?

"Where's Zuzu now? Huh?" She pulled herself off of me, and I tried to move away from her. However, my body was no longer my own. I couldn't move. She grinned and crouched down. "You didn't think we'd be apart long did you? There's no way I was letting Zuko's pet get away from me." She stood again and blue flames sparked from her fingertips. "I hope you don't mind, but I've missed your screams."

As her fire suddenly shot towards me, I screamed waiting for the burn. It never came though. A cool sensation hit my cheek instead, and I opened my eyes in surprise.

Inside the cell it appeared I was, but the monster before me had left. In her place was a woman I knew all too well. She had knelt beside me and pulled me into a seated position. Her soft dark brown hair fell to her chest, and she wore a blue dress with white snow-hare fur on the seams.

Her gentle hand cupped my scarred cheek as she held me up with her other arm. Her sky blue eyes were dim from the light, but just as I remembered.

"You're safe now…" she promised. "The danger has passed."

"M- mom…" My voice spoke soft as a multitude of emotions flowed through me..

She smiled, and a twinkle came in her eye. "Hello my gem…" The sound of her voice was sweet to the ear. Tears formed in my eyes. "You have become so beautiful… and your heart is still so pure. I am so proud of you… you and your brother and sister are so brave." She kissed me on the forehead, and continued. "I only wish I could've been there to see the brave warriors you've all become."

I stared at her in disbelief. Then I realized that as much as I wanted to wake up from whatever insanity I'd fallen into, I was glad that in my trapped state got to see my mom.

"Mom…" I wasn't sure how to feel. But then I realized I didn't care. "Mom!" I threw my arms around her, feeling the warmth of her body as if she were truly there. "Mommy… I'm so sorry… I…" sobs escaped and I pressed my face into her chest. "I couldn't save you."

Her hand pressed to the back of my head, and she hugged me close. "Crystal… sweetie... it was never your job to protect me… It was my own to protect you…" I shut my eyes clinging to my mom not wanting to let her go. "Knowing you are alive and well gives me peace. You have made me so proud. You have followed your heart… that's all I ever wanted for you…"

Her voice started to fade as darkness clouded my mind from exhaustion. "You will make a wonderful Fire Lady my daughter…"

 **Third person POV**

Darkness had come again from the passing night. The glowing figure that knelt beside Crystal removed her illuminated hand from the young woman's forehead letting the bright blue healing light fade. Crystal, who had been fighting the demons within her poisoned mind, sighed as peace fell over her. The floating lady with red markings and white clothes that drifted around her, smiled gently down at the human before her.

"Thank you, child… Rest now..." The painted lady whispered as she shone bright under the light of the moon. Sokka, Toph, and Zuko slept nearby after hours of stressing over the restless afflicted waterbender, and they made no indication of hearing the echoed voice.

As the spirit stood from the girl who slept peacefully before her, she turned her gaze to the factory in the distance where she knew the Avatar and Katara were working there magic. It warmed the spirit to know that her people were being saved by the Avatar and his friends. While she had done her share of healing in the village, her connection with the spirit world and her healing powers were only strong on nights where the stars were properly aligned. Tonight was the one night she could make her rounds through the village to heal, but her job was already complete.

"Mom…" The soft whisper from the young waterbender nearby caused the spirit to turn her eyes back towards the one she had healed. "Sorry…" A tear fell from her shut eyes as she dreamed the dream that the spirit had given her.

The painted lady stared at the child's scars that decorated her skin, and she bowed her head in respect. As a spirit she knew of the trials and sacrifices the young woman had gone through.

The sound of an explosion echoed over the river, followed only a moment later by smoke soaring up to the sky. As the smoke covered the moon above, the spirit faded with relief. Her people were in good hands.

Once the spirit faded from view, the others stirred in the camp having heard the explosion. Toph's heightened hearing was the first to pick up on it. After the second explosion the others finally awoke. Sokka and Zuko sat up from where they were sleeping in shock, and then their eyes turned to the factory across the water which was glowing from the fire that raged inside.

"No…" Sokka turned pale. "Katara… You didn't."

Zuko jumped up and rushed over to the other two sleeping bags in the area. Yanking them up, they were all horrified to see hay was in the spot where Katara and Aang should've been sleeping. "They're both gone! What are they thinking? Now the factory is going to send soldiers to attack the village," Zuko exclaimed.

As the group panicked, Crystal slowly came conscious.

 **Crystal POV**

My body felt weak and my eyes were heavy as I started to get my senses back. The poison in my bloodstream was no longer there, and I was surprised to find the affects hadn't lasted as long as I'd feared they would.

Finding my strength, i sat up slowly grimacing at the tenderness of my muscles from the mat I'd been on. I in no way was hungry, but was dying of thirst. Looking around, I found Sokka was pacing back and forth, while Toph kicked at a pile of hay in disbelief. Zuko was watching Sokka impatiently.

"I can't believe they did this! Out of the craziest things they've done, this is by far the worse," Sokka snapped.

"Well pacing about it isn't going to solve the problem," Zuko commented.

Managing to find my balance, I clumsily stood from the mat and made my way over to Appa who was watching the other three panic. Stepping over to him, I rummaged through one of the bags and found a half-filled canteen. Thirstily, I drink the water feeling with each sip my strength renew. That was the last time I'd ever use a poisonous plant to stall the group.

"Princess. Glad to see your back from the land of the dead. You had me close to binding your body to the ground."

Toph's statement caused me to look towards her with question. When I saw her, I tried to recall what happened to me before I ate the plant, and realized much of before and after was a blur.

"Crys! You're awake," Sokka exclaimed, rushing over and grabbing my shoulders with relief only a moment after Toph spoke. "Don't ever do that again! I can't believe you'd eat some random plant in the middle of the woods. I taught you better than this!"

Looking at his concerned expression, I immediately filled with guilt. As much as I had wanted to help Katara and the villagers, I felt awful for deceiving my brother.

"Sokka. I-"

"Hey! Sugerqueen and twinkletoes are coming back," Toph interrupted.

Sokka pulled from me and turned his attention toward the river. "Wait until I get my hands on those two!" He looked over at Zuko then. "Keep an eye on her. Toph and I will handle this."

Confused to what was going on, I looked over at Zuko who watched the two of them head out of camp and disappear over the hill towards the river.

"What's going on?" I watched them go too, and then realized when I did there was smoke in the sky. "What is-"

"Your sister and Aang," Zuko answered. He walked over to me as he did. "They just blew up the factory."

My eyes widened. What? Blew up the factory! That wasn't the plan!

The back of Zuko's hand went on my forehead as I was lost in my thoughts. "How are you feeling?"

I grimaced, wishing I hadn't worried Zuko so. If I had known Katara was going to anger the Fire Nation by destroying their factory I would've argued and never agreed to stall the group for such an act.

Feed the people, heal, and then leave… That had been the plan…

While I knew her heart was in the right place, she didn't think over the consequences.

"We… We have to warn the townspeople… They need to be ready if-"

"Hey…" Zuko grabbed my shoulder to bring me back. "We aren't doing anything. You're sitting this one out. You just woke up after a whole day of fighting off the Du's effects. I'm surprised you were able to stand so soon." He looked me over then. "Now that I think of it, you look pretty good. The toxin was supposed to keep you drained even after the worst of it is gone, but you look yourself..."

His statement surprised me, but I knew he was right. Even after Jiho, the ship cook back on Zuko's vessel, got over the Du's effects, he said he was completely weak and fatigued for a day or two. Other than feeling like I could drink another gallon of water, I felt fine.

"Katara… She must've healed me," I suggested.

Zuko seemed to not doubt it. "Why don't you wash up… I think there's still some clean water from last night in the pot. Your sister helped us with that in between blowing up things I guess."

Deciding not to argue, I found a rag and used the little amount of clean water in the pot to scrub the sweat and grime off of my skin. While I did so, the others arrived back with Sokka looking in a panic.

"Zuko! You didn't tell us your people had speedy-boats!"

Zuko, who had been preparing his things for battle in case the Fire Nation soldiers came our way, looked at my brother with question. "Speedy-boats?"

"They're headed towards the village," Sokka said with horror. "Three soldiers! I think they're going to attack the villagers."

"We did what needed to be done," Katara defended. "Now that the factory is destroyed the water will become clean and fish will return!"

Toph shook her head. "But now the villagers will be punished."

Katara shook her head, and then snapped, "We're team Avatar for goodness sake! Instead of freaking out, let's go help the villagers!"

Sokka threw his hands up in the air. "EXACTLY! Team _Avatar_. The very group whose _Avatar_ is supposed to be dead, and whose _team_ are enemies to the Fire Nation. Your plan is awful!"

Aang held up a finger as a thought hit him. "Hey! What if Katara disguises herself as The Painted Lady like she did last night! Then we can help the village, and maybe even give the soldiers a good scare."

Zuko seemed to be for the idea. "You know… That's a pretty good plan, Aang. If someone these people respect saves them then it may be the hope they need to start again."

As the group planned their rescue quickly, I finished getting myself together and joined in. Katara and Aang were both astonished and relieved I was feeling better. When I saw Katara's surprised expression, I looked at her with confusion. "Didn't you heal me?"

She shook her head. "No… I've been out all night. I never got the chance to try."

The group stopped getting ready for our rescue when they heard this. Toph smirked. "Ooh… Maybe the spirit lady visited you in your sleep, Princess."

Sokka scoffed. "I doubt that. If she didn't take the time to heal her own village, why would the Painted Lady heal my sister. I told you all, the Painted Lady doesn't exist." He suddenly handed a hat with fishnet over to Katara. "At least the spirit one doesn't. Come on Katara. Paint Lady up. Who knows what those soldiers are doing at the moment."

As Katara threw red berry paint on her face, and then wore the hat to complete her disguise, we all followed Sokka down the river bank. Appa came as well, because his growls would be the element we needed to scare the soldiers. Katara went ahead of us once we reached the closest embankment to the village, and she used an icy platform to make her way across the water. Aang followed her to help her with the plan at hand, telling us to start the noise in ten minutes.

Feeling pretty useless as I watched Aang and Katara walk across the water, I was suddenly face to face with a small wooden stick. "Here," Sokka said. "Aang's flute should get the creepy effect out. You know how to play it better than me. I heard you learned back on Zuko's ship."

I took the flute, kind of glad I was given a job doing something.

I was feeling very well for recovering from food poisoning, and I knew my recovery was definitely not normal. My mind raced around with thoughts of question and different scenarios. As I did so, I recalled the touch of my mother's hand during one of my hallucinations. I remembered the feeling of the touch was off even in my dream state. There was something about the temperature and texture of the hand that had been almost inhuman.

Shivers went down my spine, and I shook off my thoughts quickly. I was probably just paranoid.

"Crys… Are you sure your feeling alright?" Zuko shook my arm suddenly.

Meeting his gaze, I answered, "Sorry. I think I still may be a little out of it." Sokka went to reach forward towards my forehead, but I blocked him. "I'm fine you two. I promise."

"Hey," Sokka said with a shrug. "You can't blame us for worrying after all the screaming and crying you did the night before."

I dropped my gaze down to the gross polluted water so I wouldn't reveal to them the guilt I felt by making them so anxious. I hated lying to my brother and Zuko, but I knew if I told them the true reason why I ate the fruit they would be furious and disappointed in me. This was something I needed to keep from them, and I hoped they would never find the truth.

"Sorry," I did say. At least I could apologize in some way, even if it wasn't to reveal my deception towards them.

Zuko squeezed my hand for comfort. "I'm just glad your okay… Who were you hallucinating about though… You seemed to be in great distress."

I grimaced, and stared at his hand. "Zhao…"

Toph asked quickly, "The one Sokka told me looked like a Baboon?"

I nodded, then remembered she couldn't see it and answered with a soft yes.

Zuko sighed. "I didn't know you were still so anxious about him." His hand tightened around my own. "He can't hurt you anymore… He's dead."

I nodded, knowing Zuko was right. There was no way he survived being pulled into the water with Aang. It still filled me with terror at the thought of him though. He had tried to kill my people so long ago, and he hurt me in the cell when I was his prisoner. Even though he was dead, he still haunted my dreams.

Only a minute or two passed by the time we saw the fog that Katara and Aang were creating start to cover over the river. Once the fog hit us, we knew that was the signal. Sokka gestured to Appa to start growling, and Appa did just that. As he growled, Toph lifted a giant boulder and started pounding it on the dirt. The sound sent vibrations around us and echoed through the fog like loud footsteps.

"Crys. You're on!"

Taking in a deep breath, I lifted the wooden flute and blew into the hole steadily creating an ominous sound across the water. We kept up our sounds for a few minutes, not sure when to stop. We got our answer though, because suddenly the soldiers zoomed out of the fog on their speedy-boats swiftly not looking back. Cheers rang from the village, and we stopped with our sound effects.

"Come on," Sokka said. "There's a boat back down by the dock we can take." Sokka rowed us towards the village as the people applaud Katara for her services. We arrived just in time to see the fog had settled, and the villagers were surrounding my sister with delight. As we clambered up on the docks of the fisher village, a young boy stepped forward to speak to my sister who was still in disguise.

"I knew you'd come!"

Dock chimed in. "Thank you!"

Toza, the middle-aged man from the other day who had pulled his father off of me shouted, "Painted Lady, you're the best!"

Dock stepped close to her then. "Me and my brothers really owe you a lot." He looked dead at my sister's face, and then his eyes widened with recognition. He pointed at her face snapping, "Hey, wait a minute! I know you! You're not the Painted Lady, you're that colonial girl!"

At this, the young boy was upset too. "Yeah, you're the lady that gave me a fish!

Dock scowled. "You've been tricking us. You're a waterbender!"

A random female villager snapped, "She's a waterbender! How dare you act like our Painted Lady?"

Mutters shout through the crowd as disappointment sounded from everyone. Sokka and I stepped forward to intervene. I stepped up to my sister, while Sokka snapped, "Maybe she is a waterbender, but she was just trying to help you. Because of her, that factory won't be polluting your river, and the army is gone. You should be down on your knees thanking her!"

Katara took her hat off, and shook her head. " Sokka, it's okay." She looked at the people around her with confidence. "I shouldn't have acted like someone I wasn't, and I shouldn't have tricked you. But I felt like I had to do something. It doesn't matter if the Painted Lady is real or not. Because your problems are real, and this river is real. You can't wait around for someone to help you. You have to help yourself."

"Help our self? How do we do that?"Another man from the crowd suddenly spoke up. "The Fire Lord doesn't even care about us, so why should we care. He'll just send someone to repair the factory and start again."

Zuko stepped forward then. He wore his cloak to disguise himself in case someone recognized him. "So long as you have that attitude he will." I watched with bewilderment as he took center stage. "The Fire Lord feeds off your weakness. It's up to you all to prove your strength. Even though you may not think so, your voices do matter to the rest of the Fire Nation. If the factory is repaired, protest and don't give in. I know soldiers can be intimidating, but they are men and women just like you. They can be persuaded." He smiled. "But I have a strong feeling this factory will remain abandoned after the fright these soldiers just had."

Dock nodded. "These kids are right. It's up to us to better our own selves." He tapped his chin. "But what should we do?"

Toph shouted from the distance while disguising her voice to a deeper tone, " Maybe we can clean the river."

Aang, who had joined the rest of us up on the docks, coughed to hide his laugh at Toph's voice.

Dock didn't seem to notice. "Yeah, we can clean the river!" The villagers cheered at the thought. As they cheered, Dock bowed to Katara with respect. "Thank you miss." He then smiled at her. "You know, you're not so bad for a waterbender."

Sokka grimaced. "You wouldn't mind keeping that a secret, by the way, would you?"

Dock held a thumbs up at us. "No problem. Keeping my mouth shut is a personal specialty. My brother Xu, on the other hand, hoo! He's a blabbermouth."

Zuko groaned and shook his head in disbelief. I sighed, hoping with clean water this man would get his sanity back.

The next few hours were spent cleaning the river using whatever we could find. Appa was a huge help as we were able to load slimy weeds and factory parts on his saddle. Katara and I used our waterbending to push the polluted water towards the villagers who were helping us clean. By mid afternoon, after taking a lunch break in between, we had the river flowing once more with clean water.

Zuko was thrilled to have been able to assist the villagers, and he had even taken off his cloak in the process realizing none of them would recognize him. We all had the assumption that none of the villagers had ventured past the forest around them, so we were positive they didn't know what the Fire Prince looked like. Without fear of discovery, Zuko and Toph helped carry the polluted weeds to the piles we were stacking up away from the river bank.

As we cleaned, Katara even spoke to me when we stood on a boat alone using our bending to push the polluted water aside. "Thank you, Cyrstal," Katara spoke, knowing no one else would hear. "I owe you one."

I shook my head. "I was just doing my part of the plan. We never would've been able to save this village in one day. Sokka will have to get over it. I just have a feeling they're going to monitor my eating habits from now on."

Katara nodded. "I'm just glad you got better so fast. You were so restless and scared from those hallucinations."

I smiled weakly. "My last one wasn't so bad though."

She stopped bending and looked at me with question. "Why's that?"

I met her gaze. "I know it wasn't real, but I saw mom again. She embraced me and told me she was proud of us all." My eyes burned as I remembered the feeling of her embrace. It had felt so warm even though it didn't happen. "It was good to see her. She looked happy."

Katara squeezed my shoulder. "Why wouldn't she be happy… After everything you've been through, you're still alive." She looked over at Zuko who was carrying another load of weeds down the riverbank. "And you've followed your heart. That's all she ever wanted for any of us."

Nodding, I said softly, "You made a beautiful Painted Lady. I know mom's just as proud as I am."

She looked down embarrassed by my praise. "Thanks, Crys."

A few hours later, after the villagers gave us food and praise for our help in saving their village, we returned to our campsite for the last night we would be there. With the clean water of the river I was able to wash my clothes and feel fresh and new. The others washed up too from their long day of cleaning out the stream. Once we were all relaxed, we sat down around our fire in relief. Momo slept on Zuko's lap, while Sokka reconstructed his schedule. Aang laid back staring up at the stars.

Toph, who sat across the fire from me, suddenly said, "So… What did we learn from this trip everyone?"

Confusion fell over all of us. Then Aang held up his hand while saying, "That only we can protect nature and keep our world clean!"

Toph shook her head. "Wrong."

Zuko added, "That it's important to help those in need even if we feel it's not our duty to do so."

Sokka spoke up as well. "And that leaving the campsite at night is a big no-no!"

She sighed, "Not even close." She then pointed towards me. "We've learned that this one right here has learned absolutely nothing from the education Zuko gave her on the ship, and that from now on she will be learning her book knowledge from me."

The group was stunned. Katara asked, "Book knowledge?"

Toph smirked. "Yep. I may look tough and scary, but this brain knows more than you all give me credit for." She pointed at me again. "Quick! When was the first leader of Omashu appointed to the throne and who was he?"

I let my jaw drop. "What? Toph! I only read-"

"No excuses! This is to train you to be the Fire Lady! On what date was General Janju killed in the battle of Boulder Rock?"

I stared at her blankly. Aang and Sokka snickered, while Zuko shook his head in disbelief. None of them knew the answer either I was certain. I looked over to Zuko for help, but he just shrugged. "Don't look at me. I only know Fire Nation history."

Toph cracked her knuckles. "Don't worry Princess. I'll make a scholar out of you in no time. Not only will you learn what is defined as an edible plant, but you'll be reciting every Washi Tu poem I know."

I felt afraid. "Uh… I think I'll pass."

She shook her head shutting her eyes. "Nope. No passing for this one. It's time for you to be Toph taught."

Sokka smirked. "Taught what? How to belch a song?"

"No," Toph began. She slammed her hand down on the earth and a stone jutted up from the ground shooting between Sokka's hands and piercing through the thick paper he held. A hole was left in the object that once revealed Sokka's revised schedule. "How to use wit for your own advantage."

Sokka scowled, while Zuko laughed at the ruined schedule Sokka had spent the last hour writing. Aang quickly tried to help Sokka put the schedule back together, but I could tell their attempt was futile.

"I'm going to get more water," Katara commented. I nodded and stood to follow. As we left the campfire and headed down to the river, Katara nudged me with her elbow as she carried the bucket. "I don't think you should let Toph be your teacher. That kid needs her own tutor."

I shook my head. "She's messing with me. She knows I ate the Du intentionally, so she's just getting me back for it."

"She knows?"

I shrugged. "It's hard to keep secrets from Toph. She won't tell though. I'll let her have her fun for now."

A sigh escaped my sister. "Well… I guess the plan worked, huh."

I smiled. "Yeah." We stopped at the water and stared out across the moonlit area at the village beyond. "Now they can heal themselves… You gave them the hope they need."

She shook her head. "No… We did. I couldn't have done it all without your help."

"My help?" I waved her off. "I just laid on the ground most of the time and tried to break my boyfriend's nose."

Katara giggled. "Yeah. You got him good."

Katara bent down to get the water then, but something caught the both of our eyes. A glowing woman hovered above the rivers water, her body transparent as the moon radiated behind her. I stepped back in shock, while Katara stood staring at the spirit in amazement. The woman had white fabric floating all around her, and red markings on her face. The Painted Lady was before us in her spiritual essence.

"Thank you," she spoke, her voice echoing around us. She bowed in respect, and then faded away leaving nothing but the moon in our sight.

Silence fell between us as we stared at the place where the painted lady had once been. Katara turned to me with a smile, while I stared at her with disbelief. She saw my shock, and then realization hit her. "Oh… You've never seen a spirit before have you?"

I shook my head.

She stepped over to me with the bucket of water. "Hmm… Well I guess there's a few things you get used to when your friends with the Avatar. I'm sure this won't be your last encounter with a spirit." She walked past me up the hill. As she went, I looked back at the spot the floating spirit had been and recalled the sound of her voice. Her 'thank you' was familiar.

It hit me then as Katara left me at the riverbank. The Painted Lady must've been the one to heal me. She helped me because I had done my part to save her people. Then I realized at that moment, the Painted Lady's healing touch had been the reason I dreamed about my mother. After the terrifying nightmare I'd become trapped inside, the spirit had freed me and given me the one thing I longed for. A chance to tell my mom how sorry I was for not saving her…

" _I am so proud of you..."_

My mother's words in my dream lingered. I shut my eyes as I listened to the lapping water on the river bank. Peace filled inside me and my heart warmed at the thought of my mother being proud. Even if it was only a dream, I accepted it as true.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope the next update isn't delayed like this one was!**


	50. Burning Flame

**Next Chapter! Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 50: Burning Flame**

 **Third person Pov**

The fisher village was lively as children ran back and forth across the docks. Men repaired the wooden boards that had become rotted and withered, while women caught fish offshore in the crystal clear river. Smoke still lingered from the factory in the distance, which was charred and beyond recognition on the edge of the cliff. The fish had returned to the water and could be seen jumping out of the flowing stream. There were still a few mutated creatures wading around beneath the pier, but things were finally returning to normal for the villagers.

However, the sound of heavy steps pounding against the wooden planks of the pier caused the children to stop running and look at an approaching stranger with wide eyes. Their gaze shot to his giant metal boot and then traveled up his body to the third eye on his forehead. He walked past them as if they were twigs, and headed up to the merchant stand where Dock was chopping up some slimy eels. As he passed by the men hammering at the wood with rusted nails, they looked up at him with question and uncertainty. Dock saw him approach from the corner of his eye and then grinned.

"Hey there traveler! What can I do you for? My brother Dock should be back soon with some fresh fishies. Until then, I- Xu- can be of service."

The man stepped up to him seeming to be twice the older man's height. His shadow fell over the table as if to send dread over the already dead and sliced fish. Jerking a scroll from inside his tan shirt, he slammed it down on the table sending a few fish hopping off the counter. He unrolled it and pointed down at the image.

Dock looked down at the wanted poster before him with curiosity. The image on the paper was a sketch of a teenager with long hair and fine features. On the sketch was an outline of a scar extending from her cheekbone to her collarbone. Dock immediately recognized the young lady on the drawing, and then tapped his chin.

"Hmm… Can't say I've seen this drawing before. Fine detail though." He grinned mischievously.

"The girl," the man growled, his tone dark.

Dock looked up at the man with laughter in his eyes. "I may have seen someone with these features before. A pretty gal at that. Left town a while ago."

The large man glared down at the merchantman and smashed his finger on the image. He then grabbed the man's collar and yanked him down towards the drawing so his eyes were inches from the paper. "Where?!"

Sweat started to bead down Dock's forehead, but he didn't give in. "You know… With that attitude, it's no wonder this sweet gal ran off from you."

He growled and yanked the man back up. Then he jerked the man towards him and hissed with a gruff voice, "Which way?"

Dock grimaced more do from the spit coming his way. "Not much with words, eh stranger?"

The metal booted man brought Dock closer to his face showing nothing but impatience. Realizing his predicament, Dock finally held his hands up in surrender and answered, "Alright. If she means that much to you… My brother Dock saw them leave west down the river a day ago. I-if you go now you should be able to catch up to the girl and her colonial friends."

The man released Dock with a shove, and then grabbed the scroll back up. Turning on his heel, he headed back the way he came shoving a child out of the way who fell on his butt and cried. Shoving the scroll back in his shirt, the metal booted man stepped to the edge of the pier and looked west at the winding river before him. His eyes narrowed and his fist clenched in determination.

 **Crystal POV**

The stream before me flowed back and forth as it followed the movement of my hands. As the others got their last few winks of sleep, I continued to practice with the element I struggled to master. Katara and Aang made it seem so easy when they used their waterbending, and there were times I thought maybe I was getting it. Then one wrong move and the water would escape my control and fall back into the river we were camped a quarter of a mile from.

The moon had started to lower in the sky, and I knew soon the sun would rise. Once the sun arrived, we would continue on our journey towards the spot we were to meet dad and the others for the invasion. My time for practice was short. As much as I loved Katara teaching me what she knew, I wanted to practice when I could to improve myself.

I wanted to make my family, Zuko, and my friends proud.

Yesterday, after we'd left the fisher village in the morning, Sokka stated that he had been overreacting about the schedule thing. We were a good three weeks from the invasion, and Zuko said we were only about a week from the meeting spot. We had little to worry about.

Of course, we had a lot to worry about battle-wise. Which is why I knew I had to get my skills up to par with the others. I wanted to help them fight the enemy.

Breaking the water into two different streams, I made them move into two swirling spheres. As I did so, I focused on freezing the molecules in the air at the same time. Sweat formed on my brow as my arms strained and my back started to hurt. I couldn't give in though. I had to get this right.

A bright light suddenly shot over my head and fire circled around the water I was trying to freeze. Shocked by the fire's sudden presence, I lost control and my water fell back into the river. The fire in the air simmered into smoke.

Sighing heavily, I muttered, "I almost had it that time."

Zuko came towards me from the spot he'd been standing and watching me without my knowledge. "You're too tense… I may not know much about waterbending, but I know that you're not going to become one with the element in that way." He stopped beside me and turned towards me. I kept my gaze down at the water embarrassed by my fail.

"I just want to get this right," I said softly. "I promised Katara yesterday that I'd get the move down."

He grabbed my shoulder and made me turn to face him. "Everyone learns at their own pace… You don't have to get it immediately. These things take time."

I shook my head. "That's easy for you to say… you're a master… You all are..."

He frowned. "Stop putting yourself down… your abilities have improved so much since the day I first met you. And it's not your fault for being behind your sister skill-wise… you didn't get to train with a master like she did. I've learned firebending and sword fighting from masters too. For someone who had to learn on your own, you prove every day that your strong."

His kind words uplifted me enough to meet his gaze.

"I just don't want to slow the group down," I spoke softly. "I want to help end this war too."

A small smile showed on Zuko's face. "You managed to convince the Fire Nation Prince to switch sides of the war. I think you've done plenty."

His reassurance made me relax. I lifted the corners of my lips as his words sunk in. "Yeah… That wasn't easy."

He smirked and then came behind me. Grabbing both of my shoulders, he made me turn towards the river and face the current. "If you insist on practicing and not sleeping, the least I can do is help."

His hands slid down my arms grabbing my wrists. I was shocked by the heat of his body against me, but then relaxed by his gentle touch.

"Uncle told me once that if you let the element control you then you're never going to take control yourself. You have to make the water do your bidding." As he spoke, I looked down at the liquid and took his advice.

With the warmth of his hands on my wrists, I lifted the water once more in a single stream. Lifting it up to my eye level, I breathed in and let my hands separate the water again. Zuko released my wrists, but stayed behind me with his hands resting on my forearms as I made the water swirl once more in the air. Then with an exhale, I made the molecules within the swirling orbs harden and two balls of ice formed in front of me.

Zuko let go then, and stepped back to give me some room. I smiled as I held the ice in the air and then brought the two balls together. Making the molecules do my will, I made the ice converge into one giant ball. Then I made the ice turn back into water and drop into the river below.

With a sigh of relief, I turned to Zuko who nodded in approval. "See," he spoke. "There's no need to be so stiff."

I rubbed the back of my neck embarrassed still. "Thanks...I guess I'm just anxious about everything."

He stepped up to me with knowing. "Well stop being so worried. We're going to win," he promised. "My father and sister think the Avatar is dead. They won't expect anything on the day of the eclipse."

I wanted his words to be true, but I still felt unsettled. "It's just… Azula is pretty persuasive. What if she managed to get the information out of King Kuei's council? If she tortured them enough in Ba Sing Se there's no way she didn't get something out of them. I want to hope for the best, but I guess after all we've been through I can't get away from my uncertainties."

His arms suddenly pulled me to him, and I hugged him back. "I'm worried too…" He sighed. ""But there's no turning back now. All we can do is prepare for the best or worst. No matter what the outcome though, I'm not going to betray you again."

The promise behind his words made my heart fill with joy and relief. The thought of Zuko turning against me again was too painful to bear.

As I leaned against his chest sinking into his embrace, I asked softly, "Are you nervous… about seeing your father again?"

He hugged me closer as his mind filled with images of the man who had burned and banished him. "Yes… But I'm also ready to face him. I want to tell him how I feel about everything he put me through: How his cruelty made me open my eyes to the truth, and made me stronger."

I nodded. "He doesn't deserve a son like you. He's taken so much from you, and after all you've done to try and earn his love he's given you nothing in return. You found the Avatar. That's something he and the Fire Lord before him failed to accomplish. You did the impossible."

"It's strange how my achievement had nothing to do with capturing the Avatar."

"Your right... Your achievement was happiness." I smiled. "The best of all. Your laughter and enjoyment is something your father will never understand."

He smiled. "I couldn't have found that without you…" He pulled away then, and his gaze traveled to the brightening sky which grew lighter by the rising sun beyond the mountains. " _Everything_ changed when you came into my life…" He paused. "It's strange… Before this past year, sunrise would mean to me another day had passed that I had yet to accomplish my goal… I kept that mindset for three years as if it were an unshakable chain around me. Then when I found the Avatar, the sunrise was just a reminder that I'd have to spend another endless day chasing some kid to regain my honor. At the time, I thought that was all I needed… To regain the status I'd lost… My hopes dimmed the longer my journey became and I felt more and more like a failure."

He turned his gaze back to me.

"But then one morning this annoying waterbender came up on deck and watched the sunrise with a joy I hadn't seen since my mother left. Every time I'd see her out on deck mesmerized by the morning light on the horizon, I'd start to see the beauty I'd been missing… You helped me remember the beauty of the world and how to enjoy each new day."

I ran a hand through my hair flustered. "I was just being a friend to you. You found your happiness all on your own."

He grabbed my hand and pressed it against his soft lips. "You're just too humble to admit you saved me from my ignorance… You can take credit."

My cheeks burned red. "I think we've both saved each other equally these last few months. Let's just call it a draw."

He smirked. "Alright… I can live with that." He put his other hand behind me then and pulled me forward. Kissing me on the lips, I melted into his touch as our breaths intertwined. When we pulled apart, my head was light and my lips were tingling. "I'm going to go get cleaned up," Zuko spoke. "I'll let you finish practice." He kissed me again on the forehead, and then released me. "Don't be gone too long though. The others will worry."

Zuko turned and left me then, while I watched him go. As he disappeared over the hill back towards camp, I touched my cheeks to try and calm the blood rushing through them from my moment of ecstasy. My hand grabbed the necklace that stayed on my person at all times as I looked over at the sun's rays shining among the clouds and shooting off a rainbow of colors.

I was glad Zuko had found the beauty he'd been missing. It was always a relief to see him smile.

After a few more moments of practicing my bending, I decided to wash up and then rejoin the others. I knew Zuko was right about them worrying. They always worried about me. I couldn't blame them of course… I was prone to getting into pretty cruddy situations. But those situations were the reason I was so eager to become stronger. Instead of people coming to my aid continuously, I wanted to do the same for them in return. I wanted to protect my friends and family like they had done for me so many times in the past. I wanted to protect Zuko too...

Taking off my outer clothes and leaving on my under wrappings, I stepped into the river and let the rushing water run past my body. Keeping to the shallows, I sunk enough to let the water surround my upper body.

A breath of relief escaped me as my muscles relaxed from the gentle touch around me. Shutting my eyes, I let the rising sun lather me with warmth as I replayed the kiss in my head. I was a lucky girl for sure to be given such a wonderful fiance.

 **Third Person**

Stepping to the bank of the river, the giant man with the metal boot narrowed his eyes as he saw the girl duck under the water and reemerge a moment later. He'd arrived to the campsite almost half an hour earlier to find in the dark a group of kids asleep with one sleeping mat empty. He knew from the trail he'd been following it was the girl he was after who was unaccounted for. Making his way around the campsite in silence, he found a crossing and went to the other side of the river to plan his approach.

The light of dawn soon helped him to see the girl across the river. He stayed behind some brush as the girl practiced with the young man who had interrupted her solitude. He'd watched as the two embraced and kissed. He waited for the young man to disappear backup the hill and leave the girl alone. He remained stealth as she took her outer layers off and waded into the water. As the light from the rising sun settled on her face, he saw the discolored flesh that lined her skin.

His target had been acquired.

The raven-eagle that rested on his shoulder thrust itself into flight and headed towards the girl with a loud _caw_. While the bird headed towards their target, the metal booted man stepped out of the shadows and towards the bank of the river.

The girl had jumped at the sound of the bird and stood up in the stream looking at the creature flying towards her. She gasped and ducked as the bird swooped down on her, and then returned to her position in shock at the abrupt attack. The bird flew back to his master and perched on his shoulder with satisfaction. She had followed the bird's direction and looked across the river at the man before her. Her eyes widened when she realized she was not alone.

Taking in a deep breath, the metal booted man let energy flow through his body up to his head. As the energy flowed through him, he built the pressure within his front lobe, and heat immediately shot out of his tattoo of an eye towards the girl before him. As the blast of fire raged towards his target, she gasped and shot water up at the attack. The raven-eagle took back off into the sky to let his master acquire the prize.

 **Crystal POV**

Smoke surrounded me as my water stopped the attack that had just come my way. As smoke surrounded me, I dropped my shield and took my chance to get back onto the bank. Scrambling out of the river, I stumbled up the stones and back onto the earth. Another blast shot towards me, and this time I darted to the side to avoid the hit. As rocks flew everywhere, and an explosion rang in my ears, I reclaimed my footing and turned back to the man at the river bank.

He was just about to shoot another blast of fire at me from his head when I yanked up a large amount of water from the river and shot it at him. The water traveled fast towards the man who quickly shot his fire at it causing smoke to surround him this time. As smoke surrounded him, he took his opportunity again to shoot another line of fire towards me. Seeing the fire coming, I took up more water and shot a large stream towards the attack. Our elements collided halfway across the river causing an explosion in the air. I was soaked from my recent swim and the weight of the water on me caused difficulty, but I kept strong as adrenaline rushed through me.

My mind was full of thoughts as I saved my skin. This metal booted man had come out of nowhere. How long had he been standing on the river bank? Who was he? Why on earth was he attacking me?

As smoke continued to hang in the air, I could no longer see his giant figure from across the river. However, I could see light from behind the smoke as he prepared to shoot at me again with his abnormal bending. Part of me wanted to shout for help, but the other side of me desired to save myself. I didn't want the others to see me as weak anymore. I wanted to be brave.

I listened to my desire and kept my focus on the enemy before me. I would not yield to fear. I would defeat this man.

The bright hot burst of energy projected towards me again, and I darted to the side once more dodging the attack. Catching myself, I finally gained the offensive and yanked up some water shooting it towards the man quickly. The smoke had settled and I could finally see him again. My forceful attack was wide enough that he couldn't dodge the oncoming stream and it knocked him backward hard enough to throw him off balance. As he stumbled to try and catch himself, I rushed towards the water with my heart pounding in my ears. Freezing a platform for me to stand on, I boosted myself across the river to get closer to my opponent.

The river was a good hundred yards wide, so he had enough time to get back to his stance and shoot at me again. I pushed my platform out of the way and felt the water splash violently beside me from the attack. Crossing the river at last, I jumped on land and grabbed some more water throwing it harshly at the man.

"Who are you?!"

My question rang between us as he hopped to the side to dodge my attack. His answer to me was another inhale and then discharge of fire. I grabbed more water and met his attack just like before. This time when our elements collided, the force caused me to stumble back and shield my eyes as smoke blinded me.

"Crystal! What's going on?"

The dim voice of Sokka cried out to me from beyond the smoke. I tried to keep alert, and as I did a shadow emerged from the blinding dark cloud. The man stood before me and looked down at me with three eyes. His tattoo still had steam coming out from his previous attack. I backed away, but he grabbed my arm to stop me. His hand was enormous, like a giant cuff. He went to restrain my other one too, but I was a step ahead.

With quick thinking, I grabbed the water from the stream beside us and flung it up at him right in his eyes. He howled in pain and released me. As soon as he did, I brought more water up and shot it at him. As it hit his side, he was knocked away and disappeared beyond the smoke.

Not letting my guard down, I gathered up more water ready to attack. Looking around, I snapped, "Why are you attacking me?! Who sent you!"

My arms shook, and I prepared to defend myself again from the relentless giant. Looking around, I stayed alert as I searched the dark air for my attacker. I'd be ready for him when he emerged.

I didn't have to search long though. Air suddenly shot around me and the smoke was pushed away. My water dropped as my body felt the force of the heavy gust. Then a moment later everything settled, I could see again, and I found Aang had landed in front of me with concern. The others were on the other side of the river looking anxious, while Katara was carrying herself across with water in a similar way I had. While Katara approached, and Aang started to question me, I looked around the area in confusion. The metal booted man was nowhere to be seen. The giant of a guy had disappeared without a trace.

"Hey! Talk to me! What happened?" Aang grabbed both of my arms and shook me. "We heard explosions and saw smoke! Were you attacked?"

Katara joined us, saying, "I don't see anyone! Was it explosions in the ground maybe?"

"No. There was a giant…" I answered, still looking around with confusion. "He was here only a moment ago."

Aang looked around with question, letting me go in the process. Katara grabbed my shoulder and looked me over with concern. "Are you alright?"

Nodding slowly, I answered, "I think so… I just don't get it. How can he just… vanish…?"

My sister grew more concerned. "He? Who? Someone did attack you then?"

Looking between her and Aang, I responded, "I don't know… I've never seen him before… He just started shooting at me with his head."

They both were puzzled by my reveal. "Uh…" Aang rubbed the back of his neck. "Crys… You're not still hallucinating are you? People don't just shoot fire out of their head."

Looking between the two of them, I felt my heart rate was finally starting to calm. As I gathered my thoughts, I shook my head in disbelief. "It all happened so fast… I know what I saw though. He had a tattoo of an eye on his forehead. For some reason he was after me, and I have no clue why."

Katara didn't like my last statement. "We better move along from this spot then. We need to cover our tracks so he doesn't follow."

"Whoever he is," Aang muttered.

 **Third Person POV**

Crouching at a distance behind some brush, the man growled as his work had been compromised. He watched as the three kids made their way back across the river on an icy bridge, and his fist tightened in irritation. He'd been so close to getting his target, but he knew he couldn't with her pals all coming to assist her.

His raven-eagle landed on his shoulder and picked at its feathers absently as the man continued to watch the teenagers make their retreat. A lot of money was on the line for this girl. His job would be ten times easier if he could actually kill the girl like his first employer had wanted, but the Fire Lord made it clear that she was to be brought back alive.

From the skill of the girl, he could see she wasn't a master waterbender but she did know how to fight. He'd hoped catching the girl would be a breeze, but clearly, he was wrong. As long as she had water and friends to her advantage, he would have difficulty obtaining her.

He'd have to wait until she was alone or get her alone somehow.

The pay was too good to fail though.

 **Crystal POV**

Getting back to the others, I was immediately bombarded with questions similar to the ones that Aang and Katara had thrown at me. When I told them the same thing I told my sister and Aang, they were shocked and worried. However, one person from the group turned pale at the mention of the tattoo of an eye on my attackers head.

Zuko looked at me with horror, and then his fists clenched with fury. "Azula," he hissed.

We all looked over at him with question. "Azula?" Sokka raised his brow. "What does your crazy sister have to do with our three-eyed Sparky-Sparky Boom Man?"

Katara shook her head in disbelief. "Really… Sparky-Sparky Boom Man?"

Sokka shrugged. "The guy clearly causes explosions with his mind. Someone unique like that deserves a nickname."

"Here." Toph suddenly handed me my clothes which I took with gratitude. "Instead of thinking up nicknames and scenarios everyone, why don't we get some distance from this place. The river makes it difficult for me to see if anyone is still out there, so we better not wait to find out."

Once I was dressed, I told everyone we should head back to camp and make distance like Toph suggested. "I really don't want to fight this guy anymore today."

Once we were packed up and on Appa, we took off in the air to get far from the guy who had started blasting at me. Zuko explained when we were safe how he knew him, and why he was so concerned.

"He's a well-known assassin," Zuko spoke, his tone heavy as thoughts raced through him. My blood went cold, as did everyone else's. "And he's good at what he does. I've heard he always gets his target, and he always gets away. He's been hired by numerous noblemen and council members to take out traitors and spies in the Fire Nation." He sighed heavily. "There's only one reason I can possibly think he's after Crystal, and that's because of my sister." He met my gaze. "Azula wants you dead because she knows as long as you're by my side I have something to fight for. She's terrified that I will overthrow her and reclaim my birth right, so she's trying to take you from me so I'll lose."

Sokka growled. "That psychotic bitc-"

"No," I spoke cutting off Sokka's curse. "I don't think he's trying to kill me..." There was a silence that fell around us as my statement hung in the air. I decided to break the silence. "He had every opportunity to end me… He clearly was powerful enough to do so. He didn't though." I breathed heavily. "There was a moment when we were inside all that smoke that he grabbed me. If he wanted me dead he would've killed me at that moment. He made no indication of doing that though. He was trying to apprehend me."

Toph scoffed. "So what crazy chick really wants is to kill you herself. What fun would it be torturing Sparky if it's not by his sister's actual hands." She shook her head. "First the Dai Lee. Now this… Sheesh. We just can't catch a break."

Shaking his head, Sokka snapped. "If this is any indication it's that from now on we need to stick together like glue. From this point forward we use a buddy system." He looked over at me. "Especially you. I don't want you running off alone. I don't want anything happening to you with Sparky Sparky Boom Man out there."

Quickly I defended myself. "I was holding my ground just fine. Katara's training has helped me improve so much. Next time he comes for me I will be ready. Besides… I don't want any of you getting hurt at my expense."

My words hit Zuko's ear with disapproval. He snapped at me, "Are you saying you'd rather face him alone?!"

I cringed. I didn't want to lie though. "I'm just saying that… Well... I feel I can handle this. You all have fought your own battles in the past. I can fight my own too."

Aang, who was seated on Appa's head with Momo perched on his shoulder, turned his eyes back to me to argue. "That's crazy! What's going on in your head?!"

Katara wasn't happy either. "Now I get why you didn't call for help when you were being attacked! You were being stubborn! Do you have a death wish?"

Letting out a heavy breath, I responded, "I was doing fine. I didn't see a reason to bring you all in the middle of it. If I'm going to help you win this war I can't be the weak link who needs protect-"

"Stop." Zuko cut me off. He was trying to calm down, but I could tell he was frustrated by my desire for independence. "I thought I went over this with you this morning. You've done enough to help with this war. Stop trying to prove yourself."

Sokka added with a much calmer tone. "Crystal… We're your family. As much as I understand how you feel, there is no way any of us are going to stand aside when you're in danger. I promised dad I'd protect you, and I'm not going to break that."

Aang nodded. "Yeah. We're a team! We stick together."

Toph sighed. "Unfortunately since Princess is feeling suicidal I do agree that she needs a chaperone. Looks like you and Zuko really will be inseparable these next few days."

"I'm not suicidal," I promised. "I'm being reasonable! You all shouldn't have to protect me every-"

"Crys…" Katara spoke with plea. "We know you're strong… You've survived every trial thrown your way. Stop feeling like you have to prove it to us… Please don't be stubborn and let us help you."

I went to argue, but the plea in her tone and expression made me stop. Hanging my head, I nodded to let her know I would.

 **Third Person POV**

The group was camped in a small clearing, the moon high above. A fire danced in the center while a few members of the group slept from the journey they'd just taken. They'd flown as long as they could to get distance between themself and the river. They weren't sure how the metal man had found them, but they had a suspicion he'd guessed they were following the river. To break from being followed, the group decided it was best to fly away from the river and find coverage in the wooded areas of the Fire Nation.

Zuko and Sokka sat by the fire as the rest of the group slept. Crystal had passed out as soon as the group had settled, her body exhausted from the fight she'd had earlier that morning. Zuko cleaned his dual blades by the fire as Sokka examined the map he kept at his side. As Sokka's eyes traced over the drawn out landscape of the Fire Nation, his mind wandered towards other things.

Looking back at his two sisters, he saw Katara was muttering in her sleep like she had done since she was a child. Then his eyes trailed over to his twin sister whose scarred face reflected in the firelight. His eyes trailed over the discolored flesh, and his heart twinged at the memory of the day she received her scar.

"Hey…" Zuko's voice spoke up between the crackles of the Fire. "Can I ask you something?"

Sokka looked over at Zuko who stared down at the sword in his lap.

"Shoot," Sokka insisted.

Zuko sighed heavily. "You've known her your whole life, Sokka…" He paused, and shut his eyes. "Why do you think she's being so stubborn about all of this? Does she really have a death wish?"

His question didn't surprise Sokka. It only made him let out a heavy breath. "No…" He watched the fire before him. "She's just always been like this… even before mom died. She's always put others before herself. She's a lot like Mom in that way…. Mom would drop everything to help someone in need. Crys would put her life on the line to do the same."

He ran a hand through his hair in disbelief.

"I had suspected she was going to be rash the day we met you so long ago. I told her to stay with Gran Gran and let me handle everything because I knew she would try and save everyone. When she attacked you on the ramp to free Aang, I was more so surprised by her waterbending than her actual actions. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her attack you…" He shook his head. "She had hidden from us for so long. I never guessed she could waterbend... Now part of me understands why she never told me or anyone else in the tribe. She wanted Katara to be happy… to believe she had a gift that no one else did. She sacrificed her chance to train and grow so Katara could feel special."

Sokka picked up a stick and threw it in the fire.

"Crys is putting us before her like she always does. She doesn't want us to get hurt and that's why she is so eager to fight this crazy man on her own. This isn't as much about proving herself as it is about protecting us." Sokka looked into Zuko's gaze with plea. "That's why I want you to protect her, Zuko… Not just now or during this war… I want you to protect her for as long as you both live. She'll always be stubborn like this. She'll always risk her life for those who need help."

Zuko nodded, his eyes staring deeply into the dancing flames. "You know I will… After everything she's done for me, it's only fair that I protect her in return." He sheathed his swords and then stood. "Everything happening to her right now is because of me anyway."

Sokka looked back at the map, saying, "Not everything. Don't give yourself all the credit."

Zuko smiled weakly, knowing Sokka was just trying to make him feel better.

"In all honesty though, I'm really glad you two ended up falling head over heels for one another. You two are the link we'll need once we defeat your father. I mean, I don't mean to make your relationship all about politics and stuff, but you two being born of two nations divided… well, it will show the world that our relationship with the Fire Nation is something that can be mended."

Zuko stared at the Fire as Sokka spoke, and then his eyes traveled over to his fiance who slept peacefully.

"Political or not…" Zuko started. "She's the only girl who's looked past my title and scar and loved me for the man I truly am… she saw me as a determined teenager, trying to reclaim something I'd lost." He smiled. "Turns out the thing I'd lost was actually who I truly was. She helped me find myself again. I had gone through such a dark time, and she returned the light… she taught me how to smile again."

Sokka nodded, and his eyes wandered up to the moon. "I felt that way when I lost Yue so long ago. I went through a dark moment where I never thought I'd find happiness again. Then I found suki..." He sighed. "Or at least I had found suki."

Zuko frowned as he saw the heartbreak in Sokka's expression. He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I owe you for helping to convince your people that I had pure intentions… In return, I will help you find the Kyoshi warriors Sokka."

Sokka smiled weakly. "I'd appreciate the help, but you don't owe me. I convinced the warriors because I trusted my sister. She believed you when you said you wanted to help us. Her trust in you, and your determination to help us save Crystal from the Dai Lee… that was all enough to convince me. Even though it took me a lot of self-convincing, I could finally see you had good in you like Crys said."

Zuko took in another heavy breath. "I put you all through so much… and you took me in with kindness and trust… I'll never be able to repay you all in full."

Sokka smirked. "Sure you can. I'm sure the fire nation has a hidden bank account."

Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Kidding," Sokka promised. He then turned serious. "Look Zuko... knowing my sister is in good hands is repayment enough. Make her happy, and you won't owe me anything."

Zuko smiled weakly. "Making her happy is all I've ever wanted since the day I fell for her, Sokka… I love her smile… the way her eyes shine… she's so beautiful and-"

"Eh! Enough with the loverboy chatting! I'm trying to sleep," Toph hissed from her rock cave.

Both Sokka and Zuko jumped at the sudden voice and then rolled their eyes.

Sokka muttered, "Ignore Toph. She's just jealous cause she's a recluse."

The ground shook suddenly, and Sokka was knocked back off his log as it rolled out from under him. As he landed on his back, Zuko looked down at him with disbelief. Then he shrugged and turned back to the fire, stating, "You dug yourself into that one buddy."

Sokka muttered under his breath from the ground as Zuko stared at the flames. His eyes shot to Crystal again, who had shifted only slightly in the time he'd looked away. As he did, a fire raged inside him at the thought of someone trying to take her from him again. Whether Azula truly was the reason the assassin was after Crystal or not, he wouldn't break his promise to Sokka.

He would do everything in his power to protect the woman he loved.

* * *

 **Authors Notes**

 **So this chapter was not in the series on tv. But that is the point of fanfiction right? Anyway... Sokka's Master will be the next chapter. I just kind of wanted to give Crystal a big fight scene. Of course, her family and friends had to have their worry moment, but family and love is an important theme in this story. I want to make Crystal stronger, especially after reading feedback from you wonderful readers! I just can't have her become crazy strong overnight. So here is a small taste of her strength, and I will try and make her grow in endurance and agility through the rest of the story. Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!**


End file.
